UNIVERSITY  OP 
CALIFORNIA 

SAN  DIEGO 


presented  to  the 
UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
SAN  DIEGO 

by 
Douglas  Warren 


AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER 


AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER 


BY 

M.  IMLAY    TAYLOR 

AUTHOR  OF   "ON  THE  RED   STAIRCASE,"  ETC. 


CHICAGO 
A.  C.  McCLURG  AND   COMPANY 

1898 


COPYRIGHT 
BY  A.  C.  McCLURG  AND  Co. 

A.D.  1897 


All  rights  reserved 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  GUILLAUME   DE   LAMBERT 7 

II.  THE  GOLDEN  HALL 21 

III.  AUNT  AND  NIECE 34 

IV.  THE  LIVONIAN  PEASANT  GIRL     ....  49 
V.  THE  TOWER  OF  IVAN  VELIKI      ....  64 

VI.  CATHERINE  AND  THE  CZAR 79 

VII.  THE  ENVOY'S  CLOAK      .......  93 

VIII.  A  MEDDLESOME  COUSIN 106 

IX.  MADEMOISELLE'S  BRACELET 120 

X.  THE  TRYST 131 

XI.  AN  INTERCEPTED  LETTER 146 

XII.  UNDER  A  CLOUD 160 

XIII.  Two  WARNINGS .  172 

XIV.  A  FAIR  REBEL 184 

XV.  AN  IMPERIAL  INQUISITOR 196 

XVI.  A  DUEL  WITH  TONGUES 207 

XVII.  MENTCHIKOF 223 

XVIII.  MISSING 233 


VI 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  PACK 

XIX.  THE  MARRIAGE  OF  THE  DWARFS      .    .  244 

XX.  THE  FAITHFUL  SPY 256 

XXI.  NAJINE 266 

XXII.  AN  INTERVAL  OF  SUSPENSE      ....  279 

XXIII.  A  FAIR  PETITIONER 290 

XXIV.  A  DUEL  WITH  SWORDS 303 

XXV.  NAJINE  AND  HER  LOVER 314 

XXVI.  MADAME  ZOTOF 326 

XXVII.  THE  CZAR'S  EQUERRY 337 

XXVIII.  A  SON  OF  MISFORTUNE 346 

XXIX.  THE  GREATEST  ROMANOFF 357 

XXX.  A  FUTURE  EMPRESS 369 


AN   IMPERIAL  LOVER. 


CHAPTER  I. 

GUILLAUME  DE  LAMBERT. 

TWENTY  years  had  passed  since  my  last  visit 
to  Moscow,  a  visit  made  memorable  by  my 
marriage  with  Ze'na'fde  Ramodanofsky.  For  many 
reasons  we  did  not  return  to  Russia  until,  in  the 
spring  of  1703,  the  King  of  France  said  to  me: 
"  M.  de  Brousson,  there  is  no  one  else  whom  I 
care  to  send  to  Moscow  on  a  delicate  mission. 
You  have  married  a  Russian,  you  know  Russia 
and  the  czar.  In  short,  monsieur,  I  desire  that 
you  should  go." 

The  year  before  the  king  my  master  had  be- 
stowed upon  me  the  baton  of  a  marshal  of  France, 
a  reward  for  my  services  with  the  Marquis  de 
Villars  at  the  victory  of  Friedlingen.  The  king's 
favors  to  me  had  been  conspicuous;  owing  him 
so  much,  I  owed  him  also  a  ready  obedience  to 
his  wishes,  although  this  second  mission  to  Mos- 
cow was  far  from  acceptable.  The  king  desired 
to  have  some  one  at  the  Russian  Court  to  watch 
the  vicissitudes  of  the  northern  war.  The  Czar 


8  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

Peter  had  joined  the  alliance  recently  formed  be- 
tween Denmark,  Brandenburg,  and  King  Augustus 
of  Poland,  against  Sweden.  He  had  been  drawn 
into  it  partly  by  his  friendship  for  Augustus  of 
Saxony,  the  King  of  Poland,  but  more  because 
he  desired  to  recover  the  Land  of  Izhore,  lost 
to  Russia  in  the  Troublous  Times.  France  was 
embarrassed  by  the  war  of  the  Spanish  Succession, 
which  had  broken  out  after  King  Louis  XIV. 
accepted  the  conditions  of  the  will  of  the  King 
of  Spain,  Charles  II.,  bequeathing  the  Spanish 
crown  to  the  Duke  of  Anjou,  the  son  of  Mon- 
seigneur.  It  was  because  of  this  imbroglio  that 
the  king  my  master  watched  with  interest  the 
struggle  between  the  princes  of  the  North,  since 
it  diverted  that  mad  young  hero  Charles  XII. 
of  Sweden  from  supporting  the  Grand  Alliance 
against  France. 

In  the  midst  of  these  complications  it  was  my 
duty  to  go  to  Moscow  and  observe  the  course  of 
events,  and  transact  some  delicate  diplomatic  busi- 
ness with  the  czar.  My  mission  was  a  secret  one, 
and  I  travelled  ostensibly  to  take  my  wife  to  visit 
the  home  of  her  childhood  and  to  look  after  some 
estates  recently  bequeathed  to  my  son.  I  was 
destined  to  find  an  altered  Russia  since  the  days 
of  the  regency  of  my  old  friend  the  Czarina 
Sophia,  now  imprisoned  by  her  imperial  brother 
in  the  Novodevitchy  Monastery.  Peter's  journey 
through  Europe  had  inspired  him  with  a  desire 


GUILLAUME  DE  LAMBERT.  g 

for  reform,  and  on  his  return  he  swept  away  the 
old  regime.  The  national  costume  and  the  beard, 
sacred  in  the  eyes  of  the  devout  Russian,  were 
sacrificed  by  this  young  iconoclast.  All  the  men 
about  the  person  of  the  czar  wore  German  clothes, 
and  shaved  their  faces  so  that  the  aspect  of 
the  court  was  greatly  changed.  Peter  no  longer 
permitted  forced  marriages,  and  had  liberated  the 
women  from  the  old  Eastern  seclusion,  and  they,  at 
least,  rejoiced  in  the  fashions  of  Europe. 

Madame  de  Brousson  and  I  set  out  upon  our 
journey  north  without  our  son,  a  young  man  of 
nineteen,  who  was  enrolled  in  the  king's  household 
troops  and  on  the  road  to  early  preferment.  Our 
daughter  remained  in  a  convent  at  Paris,  for  we 
did  not  care  to  take  her  to  the  Russian  Court. 
We  were  attended  by  Pierrot,  my  old  and  faithful 
servant,  who  spoke  the  Russian  language,  and 
an  equerry  named  Touchet,  and  my  friend  and 
secretary,  Guillaume  de  Lambert,  —  a  young  man  of 
noble  family  related  to  my  own,  in  whom  I  had 
become  interested.  On  the  field  of  Friedlingen  he 
was  sent  with  a  message  from  M.  de  Villars  to  one 
of  the  squadrons ;  when  he  returned  to  where  the 
marshal  stood,  surrounded  by  his  staff,  he  was 
about  to  present  a  note  from  one  of  the  officers, 
when  there  was  a  flash,  and  some  one  cried  out 
that  M.  de  Lambert  was  wounded.  "  It  is 
nothing,"  he  said  with  a  smile,  "  but  M.  le  Mare- 
chal  must  pardon  my  left  hand ;  "  and  he  pre- 


IO  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

sented  his  despatches  with  a  salute,  but  we  saw  the 
blood  on  his  right  sleeve,  and  his  arm  hung  limp, 
broken  by  the  shot.  From  that  day  I  became 
interested  in  M.  de  Lambert.  A  man  who  can 
endure  a  broken  arm  with  a  smile  has  the  mettle 
of  a  soldier  in  him.  As  soon  as  his  wound  was 
healed  he  served  directly  under  me  through  the 
remainder  of  the  campaign,  and  we  became 
attached  to  each  other.  He  was  the  very  picture 
of  a  soldier,  of  medium  height,  powerfully  built 
and  athletic,  with  a  handsome  face  and  bright 
hazel  eyes ;  something  of  a  gay  courtier,  but  keen, 
ambitious,  and  brave  to  a  fault,  so  that  I  forgave 
the  tendency  to  the  fashions  and  foibles  of  the 
day,  which  my  wife  declared  I  often  regarded  with 
too  much  severity.  M.  de  Lambert  was  the  figure 
for  a  romance,  yet  little  did  I  suspect  the  labyrinth 
into  which  he  was  destined  to  lead  me. 

I  had  supposed  that  my  mission  would  be 
speedily  accomplished,  and  left  France  in  May, 
expecting  to  return  in  two  or  three  months;  but  to 
my  chagrin  December  found  me  in  Moscow, 
waiting  impatiently  for  my  recall  and  involved  in 
a  domestic  drama  of  a  nature  far  too  romantic 
and  delicate  for  my  taste.  I  was  no  longer  the 
hot-headed  gallant  who  had  wooed  and  won 
ZenaTde  Ramodanofsky.  I  was  now  past  fifty,  a 
marshal  of  France,  and  a  man  whose  mind  was 
full  of  many  grave  problems ;  nevertheless  M.  de 
Lambert  had  succeeded  in  interesting  me  in  his 


GUILLAUME  DE  LAMBERT.  II 

love  affair,  and  Madame  de  Brousson  was  full  of 
sympathy  for  him,  —  for,  like  all  handsome  young 
soldiers,  he  knew  how  to  win  a  woman's  friendship. 

On  our  arrival  in  May  we  had  been  introduced 
to  the  new  court,  and  soon  became  acquainted 
with  the  alteration  in  the  manners  and  customs 
of  the  people.  One  of  the  greatest  changes 
seemed  to  me  to  be  the  freedom  permitted  to  the 
women,  who  now  appeared  at  court  and  at  all  the 
festivals.  It  was  no  longer  difficult  to  become 
acquainted  with  the  families  of  the  nobility,  and 
M.  de  Lambert  met  Najine  at  the  house  of  her 
uncle,  M.  Zotof.  Najine  was  an  orphan,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Zotofs  brother  Alexis ;  and,  to  my  discom- 
fiture, my  secretary  promptly  fell  in  love  with 
her.  At  first  the  incipient  romance  troubled  me 
but  little,  and  I  thought  that  his  suit  would  prosper, 
since  I  had  no  doubt  that  Mademoiselle  Zotof 
would  reciprocate  his  affection,  and  the  uncle 
seemed  inclined  to  regard  the  young  French 
soldier  with  favor.  M.  de  Lambert  was  noble, 
brave,  and  handsome,  and  there  was  no  reason  to 
foresee  any  obstacle  to  his  suit.  I  was  even 
disposed  to  regard  it  with  amusement,  as  an 
example  of  the  ease  with  which  some  men  march 
on  the  road  to  happiness  and  fortune.  Time  was 
to  undeceive  me. 

My  own  mission  progressed  but  slowly.  The 
czar  was  arrogant  and  arbitrary,  a  difficult  man  to 
meet  on  diplomatic  grounds  and  full  of  a  hot,  un- 


12  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

governed  temper.  Many  times  my  mind  recurred 
to  my  old  friend  Dr.  von  Gaden's  estimate  of  him 
as  a  child :  '  a  Tartar '  he  used  to  call  him,  and  a 
Tartar  I  found  him,  though  a  far  different  man 
from  the  one  pictured  by  the  exaggerated  reports 
current  in  Europe,  which  made  him  an  uncouth 
and  ferocious  monster.  He  was  restless,  —  some- 
times at  Preobrazhensky,  where  he  had  spent  his 
early  manhood ;  sometimes  at  Voronezh,  superin- 
tending his  fleet,  for  ship-building  was  his  mania  ; 
and  sometimes  at  St.  Petersburg,  his  new  city  on 
the  Neva,  which  the  nobility  hated.  In  December 
he  had  returned  to  Moscow,  and  I  was  endeavoring 
to  make  the  best  of  my  opportunities.  In  1698 
he  had  sent  his  wife,  the  Czarina  Eudoxia,  to  the 
Pokrofsky  Convent  at  Suzdal  in  an  open  postcart, 
and  ten  months  afterwards  she  was  compelled  to 
take  the  vows  as  the  nun  Helen,  — a  practical  di- 
vorce. Since  then  his  mistress  Anna  Mons,  a  Ger- 
man woman,  had  been  discarded,  and  there  were 
rumors  that  he  would  marry  again.  His  son  by 
Eudoxia,  the  Czarevitch  Alexis,  who  was  destined 
to  cause  him  so  much  trouble,  was  already  out  of 
favor;  and  in  fact  the  shining  light  at  court  was  the 
new  favorite,  Alexander  Danilovitch  Mentchikof, 
who  claimed  to  be  descended  from  a  noble  Lithu- 
anian family,  but  was  said  to  be  the  son  of  a  pastry- 
cook. Mentchikof  was  the  only  one  who  seemed 
likely  to  take  the  place  of  Lefort  in  the  czar's 
regard. 


GUILLAUME  DE  LAMBERT.  13 

The  difference  between  the  old  days  and  the 
new  was  great.  My  friend  Prince  Basil  Galitsyn 
had  been  sent  into  exile  at  the  fall  of  the  regency, 
and  was  to  die  in  poverty  and  obscurity.  The  old 
regime  was  swept  away.  I  found  myself  in  a  net- 
work of  intrigue  and  malice,  beset  with  a  thousand 
annoyances,  for  the  French  at  that  time  were  re- 
garded with  suspicion  at  Moscow ;  the  Russians 
had  never  forgiven  what  they  imagined  to  be  the 
bad  treatment  received  by  Sophia's  embassy  to 
Versailles,  which  was  in  reality  due  to  the  Rus- 
sians' ignorance  of  French  and  their  violation  of 
all  the  etiquette  of  embassies.  I  had  asked  the 
king  for  my  recall  again  and  again,  but  he  would 
not  hear  of  it,  and  I  was  still  struggling  with  my 
difficulties. 

It  was  near  Christmas,  and  I  had  been  all  day 
at  the  Kremlin  wrangling  with  the  court  officials 
over  the  minor  articles  of  an  agreement  which  had 
consumed  six  months  in  the  making  and  was  un- 
made in  six  hours.  The  obstinacy  and  the  dis- 
trustfulness  of  the  Russians  made  me  think  of  the 
Duke  de  Croy  when  he  exclaimed  at  the  battle  of 
Narva,  "  The  devil  would  not  fight  with  such 
soldiers !  "  The  Duke  de  Croy  was  the  prince  of 
the  Holy  Roman  Empire  into  whose  hands  Peter 
confided  his  forces  too  late  to  save  them  from 
defeat,  and  the  Russians  suspected  the  foreign 
officers  of  betraying  them  into  the  hands  of  the 
Swedes. 


14  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

I  returned  to  my  quarters  sick  at  heart  and  in 
no  pleasant  humor.  Madame  de  Brousson  was 
that  day  visiting  at  the  house  of  a  friend,  and  I 
found  that  Pierrot  had  prepared  my  supper  and 
had  the  tapers  burning.  I  sat  down  wearily,  at 
first  scarcely  noticing  the  absence  of  M.  de  Lam- 
bert; but  presently  I  inquired  if  the  young  gallant 
had  been  there  during  the  day,  but  Pierrot  replied 
in  the  negative. 

"  He  went  out  early,  M.  le  Marecrjal,"  he  said, 
"  and  he  has  not  yet  returned.  Touchet  attended 
him." 

"  Humph  !  "  I  muttered,  "  little  use  is  Touchet. 
He  stands  gaping  when  a  Russian  speaks  to 
him." 

"  He  is  trying  to  learn  the  language,  monsieur," 
Pierrot  replied  discreetly,  "  and  he  was  ever  better 
with  his  sword  than  with  his  tongue." 

"  Just  as  you  were  ever  better  with  your  tongue 
than  with  your  sword,  you  knave  !  "  I  retorted  with 
amusement. 

As  I  spoke,  I  heard  steps  in  the  hall,  and  Touchet 
opened  the  door  for  M.  de  Lambert.  The  young 
man  came  in,  arrayed  in  the  richest  of  court  cos- 
tumes, his  coat  of  blue  velvet  and  his  white  satin 
waistcoat  ruffled  with  lace,  his  graceful  figure  show- 
ing to  advantage  ;  but  his  brow  was  like  a  thunder- 
cloud, and  he  barely  controlled  himself  to  salute 
me  with  respect. 

"You    are   late,    monsieur,"     I    said   jestingly; 


GUILLAUME  DE  LAMBERT.  15 

"love  is  often  a  laggard  at  supper,  but  yours  is 
wellnigh  cold." 

He  did  not  receive  my  pleasantry  in  good  part, 
but  muttering  some  excuse  seated  himself  at  the 
board,  and  began  to  jeat  with  the  air  of  a  man  with 
whom  the  world  is  at  variance.  Seeing  his  ill- 
humor,  I  shrugged  my  shoulders  and  let  him  alone, 
giving  my  attention  to  my  meal,  although  I  was 
not  a  little  perplexed  by  his  obvious  perturbation, 
for  he  was  one  of  the  most  courteous  of  compan- 
ions ;  and  it  was  the  more  incomprehensible  because 
his  dress  told  me  plainly  that  he  had  been  in 
attendance  either  at  court  or  upon  mademoiselle. 
It  was  not  until  Pierrot  had  retired  and  we  sat 
over  our  wine  that  I  addressed  another  personal 
remark  to  him. 

"  You  are  ill  at  ease,  M.  de  Lambert,"  I  said 
lightly. 

"  Not  without  reason,  M.  le  Marechal,"  he  re- 
plied sullenly;  "one  cannot  see  a  hawk  about  a 
dove  without  anger." 

"  So  ho,  monsieur !  "  I  said,  laughing.  "  I  read 
the  riddle.  You  have  a  rival !  " 

"  Even  so,"  he  replied  in  a  low  voice,  "  and  a 
dangerous  one." 

"  What !  "  I  exclaimed  in  surprise,  "  does  made- 
moiselle regard  him  with  favor?" 

"How  can  I  tell,  monsieur?"  he  retorted  im- 
patiently ;  "  few  young  girls  would  regard  such  a 
suitor  with  disfavor." 


1 6  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

I  looked  at  him  without  understanding. 

"  Your  meaning  is  obscure,  monsieur,"  I  said. 

"  Have  you  not  heard,  then?  "  he  asked ;  "  it  is 
whispered  about  already." 

"  I  did  not  know  that  there  was  any  talk 
about  Mademoiselle  Zotof,"  I  said ;  "  she  lives  in 
comparative  retirement.  The  new  suitor  is  of 
importance?" 

He  looked  at  me  with  a  certain  exasperation  in 
his  face. 

"  It  is  the  czar,"  he  said. 

I  set  down  my  glass,  which  had  been  half-way  to 
my  lips.  I  was  conscious  of  staring  at  him  with 
amazement ;  my  mind  was  really  grasping  the  situa- 
tion in  terrible  detail.  Here  was  a  new  complica- 
tion for  me.  I  knew  M.  de  Lambert,  and  was  fully 
aware  that  not  even  an  imperial  rival  would  daunt 
his  courage,  that  opposition  would  only  add  fuel 
to  the  flame.  On  the  other  hand,  I  knew  the 
czar  and  the  Councillor  Zotof,  and  I  saw  a  tremen- 
dous climax.  For  my  life  I  could  not  forbear 
laughing.  It  was  so  perfectly  in  harmony  with  my 
usual  fortune.  M.  de  Lambert  regarded  me  with 
a  frown. 

"  I  am  glad  that  you  find  it  amusing,  M.  le 
Vicomte,"  he  said,  his  temper  showing  itself. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  monsieur,"  I  said  at  once, 
"  I  do  not  find  your  situation  amusing,  only  my 
own.  Frankly,  my  friend,"  I  added  gravely,  "  I 
advise  you  to  resign  your  pretensions  to  made- 


GUILLAUME  DE  LAMBERT.  17 

moiselle's  hand.  It  is  impossible  to  meet  a  royal 
suitor  on  equal  terms.  You  remember  the  fate  of 
M.  de  Bassompierre  and  the  Prince  de  Conde  in 
the  old  days,  and  we  might  point  a  nearer  exam- 
ple. Your  position  is  already  difficult.  A  subject 
of  the  King  of  France  and  my  secretary,  you  can- 
not offend  the  czar.  Mademoiselle  Zotof  is  lovely, 
but  there  are  many  beautiful  maidens  in  our  own 
country." 

M.  de  Lambert  had  risen  from  his  chair  and  was 
pacing  the  room.  From  my  heart  I  sympathized 
with  his  impotent  anger. 

"  Monsieur,"  he  said,  pausing  in  front  of  me,  "  I 
have  heard  of  your  romantic  wooing.  Did  you 
apply  the  same  argument  to  your  own  case?" 

He  had  caught  me  fairly,  and  I  smiled. 

"  I  was  a  young  man,  M.  de  Lambert,"  I  said 
lightly,  "  and  my  rival  was  not  a  Romanoff." 

He  flung  out  his  hands  with  a  gesture  of  impa- 
tience. "  It  does  not  matter,  M.  le  Marechal," 
he  exclaimed  passionately.  "  I  will  not  surrender 
without  a  fight." 

"  And  mademoiselle?"  I  asked  after  a  moment. 
"  Have  you  any  assurance  that  she  looks  favorably 
upon  your  suit?" 

He  chafed  a  little  under  my  inquiry,  and  his 
color  rose. 

"  I  believe  that  I  am  not  indifferent  to  her, 
monsieur,"  he  answered  proudly. 

"  Then  it  is  quite  another  matter,"  I  said  gravely, 


1 8  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

"  but  how  do  you  propose  to  thwart  the 
czar?" 

He  knit  his  brows,  and  I  saw  him  gnawing  his 
lip.  He  was  violently  angry,  and  my  composure 
fretted  him.  He  writhed  under  my  interrogations, 
as  I  have  seen  a  high-spirited  horse  restive  under 
the  whip. 

"  That  is  a  hard  question,  M.  le  Vicomte,"  he 
said  angrily ;  "  emperors  and  kings  take  an  unfair 
advantage  against  honest  men.  But  I  am  deter- 
mined that  no  man  shall  blast  the  future  of 
mademoiselle." 

He  was  walking  to  and  fro  across  the  room, 
his  face  working  with  contending  emotions.  I 
read  his  thoughts  easily. 

"  You  take  a  curious  view  of  it,  monsieur,"  I  re- 
marked ;  "  mademoiselle  could  hardly  desire  a 
more  brilliant  future  than  to  be  Czarina  of  Russia." 

He  stopped  short  in  his  walk  and  gazed  at  me 
fiercely. 

"  The  Czarina  Eudoxia  still  lives,  monsieur,"  he 
said,  "  and  you  forget  the  intrigue  with  Anna 
Mons." 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders. 

"The  czarina  is  divorced,  monsieur,"  I  said 
quietly,  "  and  Mademoiselle  Zotof  will  never  share 
the  fate  of  Anna  Mons.  Mademoiselle  is  noble, 
and  there  is  no  reason  why  she  should  not  ascend 
the  throne.  Peter  has  no  heir  but  the  czarevitch, 
and  there  is  little  love  between  the  boy  and  his 


GUILLAUME  DE  LAMBERT,  19 

father.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  czar  will 
marry  again,  and  you  can  scarcely  expect  that  the 
guardians  of  any  young  Russian  girl  would  prefer 
a  poor  French  gentleman  to  the  czar.  I  presume 
that  the  Councillor  Zotof  is  only  too  anxious  to 
forward  the  interest  of  his  niece." 

I  saw  that  his  agitation  was  increased  by  my 
argument,  and  was  heartily  sorry  for  him,  even 
while  I  felt  it  my  duty  to  show  him  the  case  in  its 
true  aspect. 

"  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  uncle  is 
anxious  to  propitiate  the  czar,"  he  remarked 
moodily. 

He  sat  down  as  he  spoke,  and,  leaning  his  elbow 
upon  the  table,  shaded  his  face  with  his  hand. 
Remembering  the  days  of  my  own  youth,  I  pitied 
him. 

"You  have  one  consolation,  monsieur,"  I  said 
reassuringly ;  "  mademoiselle  has  many  rivals. 
There  is  scarcely  a  maiden  of  noble  blood  who 
will  not  be  presented  as  a  candidate  for  his  hand. 
I  have  heard  rumors  that  his  favorite  Mentchikof 
has  a  candidate  for  the  czar's  favor,  a  young 
woman  of  obscure  origin,  Catherine  Shavronsky." 

M.  de  Lambert  brightened  at  this.  "  I  had 
heard  that  also,"  he  said,  and  then  added  dubiously, 
"  there  is  no  chance  that  she  can  outshine  Najine." 

I  rose  from  the  table. 

"  A  lover's  view  of  it,  monsieur,"  I  said,  smiling, 
and  then  added  with  a  sudden  impulse  of  sympathy : 


2O  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

"  mademoiselle  is  indeed  lovely,  but  her  beauty  has 
a  purity  and  delicacy  that  may  be  less  attractive 
to  her  imperial  suitor  than  the  coarser  charms  of 
Mentchikofs  candidate.  Take  heart,  monsieur; 
even  a  czar  can  fail  in  affairs  of  love !  " 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE   GOLDEN   HALL. 

THE  morning  after  M.  de  Lambert's  disclosure 
the  czar  held  an  audience  at  the  Kremlin.  All 
ambassadors  and  special  envoys  were  expected  to 
be  present,  and  though  I  laid  no  claim  to  either 
title  I  was  privileged  to  appear.  I  saw  that  M.  de 
Lambert  was  anxious  to  shirk  the  duty  of  attend- 
ing me,  but  I  was  determined  that  he  should  not 
remain  behind,  for  I  foresaw  future  trouble  from 
his  excited  mood,  and  was  convinced  that  it  would 
be  necessary  to  keep  him  under  my  own  eye. 
Therefore,  a  little  before  nine  o'clock,  we  left  our 
quarters  and  proceeded  to  the  Kremlin.  It  was 
a  frosty  morning,  and  we  felt  the  need  of  our 
heavy  cloaks.  The  sky  was  gray,  —  that  cold, 
even  gray  that  makes  the  Russian  winter  so 
gloomy.  The  snow  was  deep,  and  the  domes 
and  turrets  of  the  Kremlin  and  its  fanglike  battle- 
ments were  sheeted  in  ice.  M.  de  Lambert  was 
still  in  an  angry  humor,  and  muttered  some  curses 
on  Russian  weather  which  made  me  smile,  for  a 
few  days  before  he  had  been  delighted  with  Mos- 
cow: a  lover's  mood  is  as  variable  as  the  favor 


22  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

of  his  mistress.  I  could  not  forbear  tormenting 
him  a  little  with  an  occasional  taunt  that  made  the 
blood  rise  to  his  hair  and  his  brown  eyes  kindle 
with  a  dangerous  light.  His  was  one  of  those 
sensitive,  fiery  spirits  that  flash  out  in  quick  re- 
sentment, and  Madame  de  Brousson  accused  me 
of  playing  with  his  mood  as  a  cat  would  worry  a 
mouse,  and  yet  the  young  fellow  stood  high  in  my 
esteem.  However,  he  took  my  pleasantry  so  ill 
that  morning  that  I  let  him  have  his  way  at  last, 
and  we  accomplished  the  rest  of  our  walk  in 
silence.  When  we  arrived  at  the  Granovita'fa 
Palata,  the  entrance  to  the  Golden  Hall  was 
crowded,  for  the  guards  still  stood  before  the 
door.  However,  we  came  at  the  appointed  hour, 
and  in  a  moment  the  doors  were  opened  and  the 
throng  admitted.  It  was  a  splendid  spectacle/ 
the  vast  golden  hall  with  its  arches  supported 
by  a  central  pillar,  and  upon  the  arches  were 
inscribed  ancient  legends  in  Slavonic  characters, 
and  here  and  there  was  a  darkly  rich  painting  in 
the  golden  vaults;  it  made  a  magnificent  back- 
ground for  the  brilliant  scene.  All  the  men  of 
note  in  Moscow  were  there,  foreign  residents, 
ambassadors,  gallant  soldiers,  gay  courtiers.  I 
noticed  at  once  the  czar's  especial  coterie,  the 
Princes  Dolgoruky,  Repnin,  and  Kurakin,  Prince 
Ivan  Troubetskoy,  Andrew  Matveief,  the  son  of  the 
old  chancellor,  Prince  Boris  Galitsyn,  the  cousin 
of  the  exile,  Count  Feodor  Apraxin,  and  the  new 


THE   GOLDEN  HALL.  2$ 

favorite,  Alexander  Mentchikof.  In  the  center  of 
the  room  stood  the  czar,  a  conspicuous  figure. 
Peter  was  now  thirty-one  years  old,  and  there  was 
something  in  his  appearance  that  suggested  at 
once  his  tremendous  personality.  His  stature  was 
immense,  nearly  seven  feet;  his  deep  chest  and 
powerful  limbs  showing  his  great  strength,  while 
his  presence  was  commanding.  His  forehead  was 
high,  and  he  wore  an  unpowdered  brown  peruke, 
which  was  too  short  for  the  prevailing  fashion. 
His  complexion  was  of  a  clear  olive  tint,  and  his 
nose  short  and  thick  at  the  end,  and  his  lips  full. 
His  eyes  were  handsome,  large,  dark,  and  brilliant, 
reminding  me  of  those  of  his  mother,  the  Czarina 
Natalia,  but  unfortunately  affected  by  the  tic  which 
occasionally  convulsed  his  features.  He  had  suf- 
fered from  a  nervous  affliction,  accompanied  by  a 
twitching  of  the  face  and  body,  since  he  had  been 
poisoned  in  his  youth.  His  dress  was  usually 
conspicuous  for  its  simplicity  and  carelessness,  for 
he  seemed  to  scorn  the  insignia  of  rank,  and,  in 
the  midst  of  that  brilliant  assemblage,  he  wore  a 
close-fitting  brown  coat  with  gold  buttons,  a  linen 
collar,  and  no  cuffs,  his  waistcoat,  breeches,  and 
stockings  being  as  plain  as  his  coat,  which  was 
unbuttoned.  He  wore  no  jewels,  only  the  blue 
ribbon  of  the  Order  of  St.  Andrew  which  he  had 
created,  and  of  which  he  was  the  sixth  knight, 
having  received  it  at  the  first  Russian  naval  vic- 
tory over  the  Swedes,  off  the  Vassily  Island  in  the 


24  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

Neva,  in  1702.  About  his  neck  was  suspended 
an  ancient  Greek  cross  of  metal,  which  subse- 
quently became  famous  as  his  ornament  at  the 
victory  of  Poltava.  A  man  of  coarse  and  even 
brutal  instincts,  who  could  look  with  indifference 
upon  torture  and  execution,  yet  withal  the  ruler 
born.  As  I  looked  at  him,  it  seemed  to  me  a 
question  whether  the  young  Frenchman  at  my 
side,  undistinguished  save  by  personal  bravery, 
could  rival  this  august  personage  in  the  fancy  of 
a  young  and  probably  ambitious  woman.  The  czar 
was  no  contemptible  tyrant,  but  a  suitor  who  might 
dazzle  the  imagination  of  a  girl.  He  was  royal, 
and  his  person  was  conspicuous  for  those  very 
qualities  of  manly  endurance  and  strength  which 
usually  attract  the  eye  and  fancy  of  the  fair  sex. 

My  personal  relations  with  Peter  were  cordial. 
His  temperament  and  manner  were  alike  frank  and 
unconventional.  He  had  an  indifference  to  the 
forms  and  ceremonies  of  a  court,  and  his  love  of 
freedom  had  led  him  into  many  a  mad  frolic  in 
the  German  suburb.  Indeed  it  had  been  whis- 
pered that  these  frolics,  and  the  intrigues  connected 
with  them,  were  at  the  root  of  the  trouble  between 
him  and  the  Czarina  Eudoxia. 

That  morning  he  greeted  me  with  a  little  con- 
straint, and  I  noticed  his  hawklike  eye  resting  for 
an  instant  on  M.  de  Lambert,  who  stood  behind 
me,  and  who  made  his  salutation  with  an  air  of 
gloomy  dignity.  At  the  time  Peter  was  conversing 


THE    GOLDEN  HALL.  2$ 

with  two  or  three  officials  who  stood  about  him, 
and  some  moments  elapsed  before  he  had  an 
opportunity  to  speak  to  me.  After  a  little  while, 
however,  the  others  fell  back,  and  the  czar,  find- 
ing himself  for  the  instant  alone,  addressed  me 
with  some  abruptness. 

"  A  word  with  you,  M.  le  Marechal,"  he  said ; 
"you  have  a  young  gentleman  in  your  suite, 
M.  de  —  " 

"  M.  de  Lambert,  your  Majesty,"  I  said,  supply- 
ing the  name,  as  he  hesitated  and  waited  for  it. 

"  Ah,  yes,  M.  de  Lambert,"  he  continued ;  "  is  he 
your  nephew  or  your  son-in-law?  " 

"  Neither,  your  Majesty,"  I  replied ;  "  he  is  a  dis- 
tant connection  of  my  family,  and  an  officer  of  the 
household  troops  of  the  King  of  France." 

"  Of  noble  blood,  then,"  the  czar  remarked,  while 
I  marvelled  and  tried  to  divine  his  drift;  "a  good 
soldier,  I  presume?" 

"  A  gallant  one,"  I  replied  at  once,  a  little  re- 
lieved at  the  turn  of  his  questions. 

He  paused  and  turned  a  searching  glance  on 
my  face. 

"A  gallant  soldier  is  always  admirable  in  the 
eyes  of  the  fair  ladies,  M.  de  Brousson,"  he  con- 
tinued deliberately ;  "  perhaps  it  would  be  well  for 
you  to  remind  M.  de  Lambert  that  while  he  is  in 
Moscow  I  would  prefer  to  see  him  in  his  character 
of  an  attendant  upon  the  envoy  of  the  King  of 
France  and  not  as  an  esquire  of  dames." 


26  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

I  felt  the  blood  rising  on  my  cheek  under  the 
czar's  keen  eyes.  I  was  angry,  but  I  made  an 
obeisance. 

"  Your  Majesty's  wishes  shall  be  respected,"  I 
said  calmly. 

"  You  understand  me,  monsieur,"  he  went  on 
coolly  ;  "  I  rely  upon  your  amiable  discretion.  It 
is  my  good  fortune  to  have  so  astute  a  representa- 
tive of  the  Court  of  France." 

Dolgoruky  had  approached  while  he  was  speak- 
ing; and  when  the  czar  turned  to  address  the 
prince,  I  took  the  opportunity  to  withdraw  a  little 
from  his  immediate  vicinity.  I  was  angry  and  at 
the  same  time  amused.  It  was  apparent  that  he 
regarded  M.  de  Lambert  as  no  contemptible  rival. 
It  was  equally  obvious  that  the  autocrat  would 
brook  no  interference  in  his  dovecote,  and  my 
amusement  threatened  to  imperil  my  gravity.  I 
was  making  an  effort  to  pass  through  the  crowd 
unobserved  and  so  effect  an  escape  to  some  spot 
where  I  might  consider  the  situation,  but  I  was  not 
destined  to  accomplish  my  purpose.  Mentchikof 
met  me  on  my  way  to  the  door,  and  laid  a  detain- 
ing hand  on  my  arm. 

"  I  would  speak  with  you  a  moment,  M.  le  Mare- 
chal,"  he  said  pleasantly ;  and  we  turned  aside  into 
a  recess  where  we  were  practically  alone. 

"  I  have  but  just  spoken  to  your  young  friend, 
M.  de  Lambert,"  he  began. 

"  Ma  foi  !  "    I  exclaimed  impatiently,  "  M.  de 


THE   GOLDEN  HALL.  2J 

Lambert  is  the  only  man  living  to-day.  Upon  my 
soul,  I  did  not  know  that  he  was  so  important." 

Mentchikof  regarded  me  gravely,  a  certain  in- 
telligence in  his  glance. 

"He  is  a  very  accomplished  young  gentleman," 
he  said,  smiling,  "and  I  understand  that  he  is  be- 
trothed to  Najine  Zotof." 

Now,  I  knew  that  Mentchikof  was  aware  that 
there  was  no  formal  betrothal,  and  I  began  to 
suspect  his  motive.  Bearing  in  mind  the  czar's 
words,  I  was  cautious. 

"  It  is  news  to  me,  monsieur,"  I  said  with  as- 
sumed surprise ;  "  surely  M.  de  Lambert  did  not 
inform  you?" 

Mentchikof  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  Not  in  words,  M.  le  Marechal,"  he  replied 
suavely;  "but  such  things  cannot  be  hidden.  The 
little  birds  about  a  court  carry  the  news." 

I  felt  a  strong  desire  to  make  him  drink  of  his 
own  medicine  and  replied  in  kind. 

"  It  is  sometimes  dangerous,  monsieur,"  I  said, 
"  to  listen  to  the  whispers  of  such  little  birds.  In 
France  I  have  known  it  to  cost  a  man  his  head." 

He  flushed  a  little,  and  I  saw  a  gleam  of  anger 
in  his  eyes ;  but  he  was  too  astute  to  allow  me  to 
ruffle  his  serenity. 

"  An  easy  way  of  removing  his  ears,  monsieur," 
he  replied  calmly,  "  but  I  regret  to  hear  that  there 
is  so  little  foundation  for  my  information.  I  re- 
gret it,  you  understand.  M.  le  Vicomte,  it  seemed 


28  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

to  me,  and  to  others,  that  Najine  Zotof's  marriage 
with  M.  de  Lambert  would  be  a  subject  for  rejoic- 
ing. I  trust  that  it  may  yet  be  arranged." 

I  looked  at  him  keenly.  While  I  thought  that 
I  understood  his  motive,  I  was  far  from  feeling  any 
confidence  in  him. 

"  I  am  not  here  to  arrange  marriages,  mon- 
sieur," I  said  calmly,  "  but  to  direct  some  business 
matters  of  my  own." 

He  smiled.  "  Twenty  years  ago,  M.  le  Vicomte, 
you  managed  to  accomplish  both  missions  with 
conspicuous  success." 

I  was  accustomed  to  these  references  to  my 
romantic  marriage,  and  accepted  them  in  good 
part. 

"  I  had  a  greater  temptation  then,"  I  said  lightly. 

"Nevertheless,"  he  continued  persistently,  "you 
cannot  be  without  interest  in  the  welfare  of  your 
friend ;  and  I  have  heard  that  the  young  woman 
reciprocates  his  affection,  and  it  is  a  genuine 
romance." 

"  You  are  marvellously  well  informed,  mon- 
sieur," I  replied  serenely ;  "  for  my  own  part,  I  do 
not  pretend  to  know  so  much  of  such  delicate 
matters." 

"  You  tax  my  credulity,  M.  le  Vicomte,"  he 
said.  "  It  is  impossible  for  me  to  believe  that 
a  man  of  your  sagacity  can  be  both  blind  and 
deaf.  M.  de  Lambert  has  made  friends  here,  and 
we  desire  to  see  him  happily  united  to  Najine 


THE   GOLDEN  HALL.  29 

Zotof ;  but  it  is  well  in  Russia  to  accomplish  these 
things  speedily  and  quietly.  You  doubtless  un- 
derstand me,  monsieur.  There  are  many  who 
approve  of  the  marriage ;  it  is  not  impossible  to 
accomplish  now ;  later  it  migfyt  meet  with  grave 
opposition.  I  speak"  to  you  as  M.  de  Lambert's 
friend  and  natural  adviser." 

"  I  thank  you,  monsieur,"  I  rejoined  with  com- 
posure ;  "  but  why  should  I  counsel  a  Frenchman 
to  contract  a  marriage  which  may  meet  such 
serious  opposition?" 

His  face  hardened,  and  he  looked  at  me  sternly. 

"You  know  Najine,"  he  said;  "you  doubtless 
feel  some  interest  in  her." 

"  She  is  young  and  lovely,"  I  replied  gallantly. 
"  It  is  unlikely  that  any  man  would  regard  her 
with  entire  indifference." 

"  There  is  sometimes,  a  hard  fate  in  store  for 
just  such  young  and  lovely  maidens,  M.  le  Mare"- 
chal,"  he  said  coolly.  "You  remember  the 
Princess  Marie  Dolgoruky  and  Euphemia  Vsevo- 
lozhsky,  and  even  the  late  czarina,  —  the  nun 
Helen.  Archangel  and  Siberia  are  both  not  im- 
possible futures  for  candidates  for  the  throne." 

I  started.  This  was  plain  speaking,  and  I  was 
certain  now  of  his  motive.  He  had  a  candidate 
of  his  own,  and  Najine  had  been  so  unfortunate 
as  to  rival  her  in  the  eyes  of  the  czar.  I  saw  it 
all  in  a  moment,  and  a  grim  picture  it  was.  How- 
ever, I  did  not  permit  my  face  to  betray  me. 


3O  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

"  You  should  speak  to  mademoiselle's  natural 
guardians,  monsieur,"  I  said  quietly  ;  "  her  interests 
are  dear  to  them,  while  I  could  not  even  suggest 
such  dangers." 

He  measured  rrje  with  his  penetrating  glance, 
but  I  returned  it  with  amused  serenity.  Two  or 
three  nobles  were  approaching  him,  and  interrup- 
tion was  inevitable.  He  leaned  a  little  towards  me. 

"  Nevertheless,  M.  le  Vicomte,"  he  said  in  a  low 
voice,  "you  will  inform  M.  de  Lambert  that  his 
best  friends  in  Moscow  desire  to  see  him  speedily 
and  quietly  married  to  Najine  Zotof." 

I  was  saved  the  necessity  of  a  reply  by  his 
friends,  who  joined  him  now  and  gave  me  my 
opportunity  to  withdraw.  Near  the  door  stood 
M.  de  Lambert,  and  I  signaled  to  him  to  follow 
me.  In  a  few  minutes  we  had  passed  through 
the  guard-rooms  and  left  the  palace.  When  I 
found  myself  alone  with  him,  I  was  at  a  loss  to 
decide  upon  my  next  move.  I  knew  him  well ; 
brave,  loyal,  passionate,  impulsive,  and  headstrong, 
how  could  I  trust  the  complicated  situation  to  his 
discretion?  How  could  I  counsel  him?  With 
him  there  would  be  but  one  course  of  action.  He 
loved  Mademoiselle  Zotof,  and  would  save  her,  if 
he  could,  both  from  the  czar  and  from  the  in- 
trigues of  her  rivals.  But  how  could  he  accom- 
plish this?  I  asked  myself  that  question  again 
and  again  as  we  crossed  the  square.  He  was 
singularly  silent,  as  if  he  divined  my  perturbation 


THE   GOLDEN  HALL.  3 1 

or  was  possessed  with  a  similar  anxiety.  I  cast 
a  sidelong  glance  at  him,  mentally  comparing  him 
with  the  czar,  and  wondering  how  the  two  would 
contrast  in  the  eyes  of  mademoiselle.  I  was  forced 
to  admit  to  myself  that  he  was  a  goodly  man ; 
he  carried  himself  with  the  proud  erectness  of 
a  cavalier,  and  his  clean-cut,  candid  face  was  good 
to  look  upon.  What  he  lacked  of  the  czar's 
powerful  muscle,  he  gained  in  grace.  I  smiled 
a  little  as  I  looked  at  him,  thinking  that  he  was  a 
dangerous  rival  even  for  an  emperor.  I  could  not 
decide  upon  any  course,  but  determined  to  try 
his  temper.  We  had  passed  out  of  the  Gate  of 
the  Redeemer,  and,  his  foot  slipping  on  a  piece 
of  ice,  he  stumbled  and  recovered  himself  with  a 
muttered  exclamation  of  impatience. 

"  You  are  out  of  temper  again,  M.  de  Lambert," 
I  said  tauntingly.  "  You  should  have  more  for- 
titude; there  are  worse  slips  than  those  upon 
Russian  ice." 

He  darted  an  inquiring  glance  at  me. 

"  I  do  not  take  your  meaning,  monsieur,"  he 
said  dryly,  "  I  am  not  much  of  a  diplomat." 

I  smiled.  "  No,  I  think  not,"  I  replied,  "  and 
you  may  have  need  to  be  one.  The  path  on 
which  an  emperor  treads  is  too  slippery  for  other 
men." 

He  understood  me,  and  his  face  flushed. 

"  There  can  be  no  open  path  which  an  honest 
man  can  fear  to  tread,"  he  said  haughtily. 


32  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

"  No,"  I  acknowledged  calmly,  "  fear  is  not  the 
word ;  but  royalty  gives  no  elbow  room,  monsieur." 

He  shut  his  teeth,  and  I  saw  his  hand  playing 
with  the  hilt  of  his  sword. 

"  No  man,"  he  said  slowly,  "  crowned  or  un- 
crowned, shall  ever  thrust  me  aside  unjustly  with- 
out a  struggle." 

"  You  are  a  young  man,  M.  de  Lambert,"  I  said 
quietly ;  "  be  warned.  The  dangers  that  would 
assail  you  would  not  be  half  so  serious  as  those 
which  would  encompass  one  —  whom  we  know." 

He  started  perceptibly.  We  took  a  few  steps 
more  and  then  he  stopped  me.  We  had  turned 
aside  from  the  Red  Place  into  a  narrow  lane  ;  on 
either  hand  were  the  blank  walls  of  the  courtyards 
of  two  houses.  I  can  see  his  face  to-day  as  plainly 
as  then,  when  it  stood  out  in  such  relief  against  the 
background  of  stone.  He  was  pale,  and  his  brows 
were  bent  over  his  troubled  eyes,  while  a  lock  of 
his  own  light  brown  hair  had  escaped  from  be- 
neath his  peruke  and  was  blown  across  his  cheek. 

"  M.  de  Vicomte,"  he  said  in  a  low  voice,  "  have 
you  been  warned  of  any  danger  threatening 
Mademoiselle  Zotof?" 

I  felt  the  warmest  sympathy  for  him.  His  man- 
ner convinced  me  of  the  sincerity  of  his  passion. 
I  put  my  hand  on  his  shoulder  as  I  would  have 
laid  it  on  a  son's. 

"  I  will  be  frank,  monsieur,"  I  said,  carried  out 
of  all  resolution  of  reserve.  "  I  have  been  assured 


THE   GOLDEN  HALL.  33 

to-day  of  two  things,  —  the  czar  has  a  serious 
fancy  for  mademoiselle,  and  Mentchikof  is  deter- 
mined to  induce  him  to  transfer  it  to  Catherine 
Shavronsky." 

"  May  the  saints  speed  his  efforts  !  "  exclaimed 
M.  de  Lambert,  devoutly. 

"  In  either  case,"  I  went  on,  "  mademoiselle  is 
in  danger.  If  the  czar  loves  her,  you  cannot 
hope  to  oppose  him  ;  and  if  he  vacillates  between 
mademoiselle  and  the  Shavronsky  woman,  Ment- 
chikof and  his  faction  will  find  a  way  to  deal  with 
Najine  Zotof,  as  other  court  factions  have  dealt 
with  rival  candidates  for  the  czar's  heart  Poison, 
exile,  death  —  the  course  is  easy  ;  and  if  they  fail 
the  czar  will  win,  and  you,  M.  de  Lambert  —  must 
lose." 

He  heard  me  calmly  to  the  end  ;  then,  throwing 
back  his  head,  he  looked  me  in  the  eye,  and  I  saw 
the  fire  kindling  in  his  own. 

"  Monsieur,"  he  said,  "  no  tyrant  shall  crush  the 
spirit  and  happiness  of  the  woman  I  love,  were  he 
a  thousand  times  a  czar !  If  she  loves  me,  I  will 
win  her  yet !  " 


CHAPTER   III. 

AUNT    AND    NIECE. 

M.  DE  LAMBERT  had  at  least  one  friend  whose 
sympathy  was  unfailing.  Madame  de  Brousson 
took  the  warmest  interest  in  his  trials,  encour- 
aging him  in  his  rash  suit,  and  even  chiding  me 
because  I  endeavored  to  point  out  all  the  perils 
and  difficulties.  "  If  you  had  been  thus  cautious 
twenty-one  years  ago,  Philippe,"  she  said  to  me, 
"  I  should  not  now  be  your  wife."  Which  was 
like  a  woman,  for  women  love  to  apply  the  same 
rule  to  all  cases.  She  understood,  as  well  as 
I  did,  all  the  obstacles,  but  chose  to  throw  the 
weight  of  her  influence  in  the  scale  with  love  and 
knight-errantry.  Between  the  two,  ZenaTde  and 
M.  de  Lambert,  I  was  sore  beset.  The  possibility 
that  Peter  might  demand  our  young  lover's  return 
to  France  was  imminent,  and  in  any  case  I  could 
not  discover  a  way  for  him  to  defeat  successfully 
his  imperial  rival.  In  spite  of  Zenai'de's  indignant 
protest,  I  had  grave  doubts  that  mademoiselle 
would  remain  loyal  to  her  French  suitor  in  the 
face  of  the  czar's  wooing.  I  had  been  working 


AUNT  AND  NIECE.  35 

industriously  to  ascertain  something  of  the  drift  of 
affairs,  and  found  that  an  impression  existed  at 
court  that  Peter  intended  to  choose  a  second  wife. 
He  had  confirmed  this  by  his  own  words,  spoken 
in  his  indignation  at  the  discovery  of  the  infidelity 
of  Anna  Mons.  In  the  heat  of  his  passion  he  told 
her  lover,  the  Prussian  minister  Kayserling,  that  he 
had  educated  the  girl  to  marry  her  himself.  If  he 
had  contemplated  wedding  Anna  Mons,  it  was  far 
more  probable  that  he  would  wed  mademoiselle. 
A  passing  fancy  might  end  in  a  futile  intrigue ;  but 
if  the  czar  was  indeed  seriously  considering  the 
idea  of  marrying  her,  she  was  exposed  to  the 
machinations  of  the  rival  parties  at  court,  and 
especially  to  those  of  Mentchikof.  He  was  now 
the  favorite,  and  the  center  of  a  web  of  intrigue. 
His  household  was  conducted  by  his  sister,  Madame 
Golovin,  the  wife  of  Count  Alexis  Golovin ;  and 
with  her  resided  the  two  Arsenief  sisters,  one  of 
whom,  Daria,  was  said  to  be  beloved  by  Mentchi- 
kof, —  they  had  both  been  "  boyar  maidens,"  as  the 
maids  of  honor  were  named.  To  this  group  had 
recently  been  added  Catherine  Shavronsky,  whom 
Mentchikof  was  introducing  as  a  candidate  for  the 
czar's  affection.  He  doubtless  desired  to  establish 
her  in  the  place  of  Anna  Mons,  and  through  the 
new  toy  to  rule  the  court  factions.  If,  on  the  other 
hand,  Peter's  fancy  for  Najine  Zotof  interfered  with 
this  scheme,  Mentchikof  would  leave  no  stone 
unturned  in  the  effort  to  defeat  and  ruin  the  young 


36  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

girl  whose  beauty  had  been  so  unfortunate  as  to 
attract  the  imperial  notice. 

Such  was  the  situation,  and  Madame  de  Brousson 
and  M.  de  Lambert  understood  it  as  fully  as  I  did ; 
but  I  saw  that  it  was  only  acting  as  a  spur  to  his 
headstrong  temperament.  I  spoke  to  Pierrot,  and 
warned  him  to  aid  Touchet  in  attending  the  young 
man,  as  I  anticipated  no  little  trouble  for  him, 
knowing  only  too  well  that  a  sword-thrust  or  a 
pistol-shot  in  the  dark  was  not  a  singular  occurrence 
in  Moscow.  My  wife  did  not  permit  my  sympathy 
to  cool,  and  we  were  both  becoming  keenly  inter- 
ested in  the  little  drama.  Only  one  point  disturbed 
my  appreciation  of  the  romance,  and  that  in  spite 
of  Madame  de  Brousson's  protests :  I  had  yet  to 
feel  assured  of  mademoiselle's  feelings.  M.  de 
Lambert  was  loud  in  his  denunciation  of  the 
Councillor  Zotof  and  his  wife ;  they  of  course  had 
grown  cold  to  his  suit  at  the  first  advent  of  the 
czar,  and  now  he  accused  them  of  endeavoring 
to  coerce  their  niece.  Z6na'fde  continually  urged 
me  to  go  and  see  mademoiselle,  and  so  be  con- 
vinced that  she  possessed  a  sweet  and  candid  dispo- 
sition ;  and  this  would  also  give  me  an  opportunity 
to  observe  the  manner  of  her  guardians.  My  wife 
had  no  desire  to  go  herself,  because  she  detested 
Madame  Zotof,  who  was  counted  one  of  the  greatest 
shrews  in  Moscow.  Moved,  partly  by  sympathy 
for  M.  de  Lambert,  and  partly  by  a  desire  to  be- 
come better  acquainted  with  the  heroine  of  the 


AUNT  AND  NIECE.  37 

romance,  I  yielded  to  the  domestic  pressure  and 
found  an  opportunity  to  visit  the  councillor's 
residence. 

Zotof  s  house  stood  within  a  spacious  courtyard, 
and  was  a  solid,  comfortable-looking  building. 
The  main  door  opened  into  a  great  hall,  usually 
full  of  serfs  and  retainers,  while  the  living  rooms 
were  all  above,  —  a  common  fashion  in  Russia.  It 
was  towards  evening  when  I  arrived,  attended  by 
Touchet ;  and  a  serf  bearing  a  taper  lighted  me  up 
the  stairs,  ushering  me  into  a  spacious  apartment 
furnished  with  Russian  luxuriousness  in  furs  and 
heavy  hangings.  The  councillor  was  entertaining 
several  friends,  and  his  wife  and  niece  were  both 
present.  He  received  me  courteously,  but  I  fan- 
cied that  I  was  less  welcome  than  formerly,  and 
noticed  his  glance  behind  me  at  the  door  as  if  he 
expected  to  see  M.  de  Lambert  enter  also.  Zotof 
was  a  short,  stout  man,  belonging  to  the  old  coterie, 
and  a  fair  type  of  the  conservative  nobility,  having, 
I  had  no  doubt,  a  wholesome  abhorrence  of  the 
czar's  innovations.  Peter,  who  was  fond  of  nick- 
naming the  older  men,  called  him  the  "  Prince 
Pope,"  because  he  had  assumed  that  character  at  a 
masquerade.  Zotof's  face,  which  was  coarse  and 
flushed  with  high  living,  was  not  brutal,  and  I  could 
imagine  that  he  found  his  position  full  of  embar- 
rassment. He  had  encouraged  M.  de  Lambert 
until  he  saw  that  his  niece  might  hope  for  a  crown, 
and  now  found  it  difficult  to  extricate  himself  from 


38  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

his  entanglement.  Madame,  on  the  other  hand, 
was  the  picture  of  a  domestic  tyrant,  —  a  woman 
of  medium  stature,  but  carrying  herself  with  an 
erectness  which  increased  her  appearance  of  height, 
her  face  pale  and  sharp-featured,  her  eyes  keen  and 
unsympathetic,  and  her  whole  manner  sharp  and 
sometimes  rude,  while  not  even  her  smile  concealed 
her  shrewish  temper.  I  had  long  since  made  up 
my  mind  about  the  pair,  and  was  more  or  less 
amused  at  their  different  attitudes  in  regard  to  me. 
In  former  days  madame  had  been  gracious  to  the 
border  of  flattery  in  her  address ;  she  had  welcomed 
me  as  the  representative  of  the  king  and  a  marshal 
of  France,  and  M.  de  Lambert,  as  my  friend,  was 
an  honored  guest ;  but  now  her  ambition  had  caught 
a  glimpse  of  more  splendid  possibilities,  she  had  a 
higher  goal  in  view,  and  was  untroubled  by  her 
husband's  scruples  about  previous  engagements 
and  obligations.  She  allowed  me  to  see  at  once 
that  while  she  still  respected  my  rank,  she  no 
longer  desired  my  good  offices  and  was  indepen- 
dent of  my  approval  of  her  niece.  I  saw  all  this 
at  a  glance,  even  while  I  was  accepting  their  hos- 
pitality and  exchanging  courtesies  with  their  guests, 
and  I  found  an  opportunity  to  observe  the  young 
girl  who  was  the  cause  of  all  the  intrigues  and  of 
so  much  anxiety.  Mademoiselle  Zotof  had  re- 
mained modestly  in  the  background,  but  I  saw  that 
she  was  watching  the  little  scene  with  keen  atten- 
tion. I  did  not  marvel  at  M.  de  Lambert's  in- 


AUNT  AND  NIECE.  39 

fatuation,  for  her  face  was  peculiarly  charming  and 
vivacious.  She  had  that  clear  white  complexion 
which  is  occasionally  seen  with  intensely  black 
hair,  and  her  straight  black  brows  were  strongly 
marked  above  dark  blue  eyes,  her  mouth  having 
tender  curves  that  were  contradicted  by  the  firm- 
ness of  her  chin.  She  was  not  tall,  and  was  deli- 
cately formed,  but  she  had  the  dignity  of  a  young 
princess.  My  wife  declared  that  the  Russian 
women  had  singular  ideas  about  the  European 
fashions,  and  wore  the  tawdry  clothes  that  might 
disgrace  even  poor  stage-players;  but  mademoi- 
selle had  certainly  evaded  these  eccentricities,  for 
her  robe  was  of  simple  white,  edged  with  ermine 
and  girdled  [at  the  waist  with  a  heavy  silver  cord, 
and  it  dignified  her  girlish  beauty  without  encum- 
bering it  with  too  superb  a  setting.  As  I  looked 
at  the  young  face  with  its  charm  and  animation,  I 
became  not  a  little  curious  about  her.  She  seemed 
to  me  to  be  the  very  woman  to  grasp  at  an  am- 
bitious dream.  Whatever  she  felt,  she  could  hide 
it  well  behind  that  inscrutable  little  smile,  and  she 
roused  all  my  interest. 

Zotof's  guests  had  been  enjoying  an  informal 
talk  before  my  arrival,  but  at  my  entrance  there 
was  a  certain  constraint  in  the  conviviality,  although 
the  liquor  still  flowed  with  Russian  freedom,  and 
we  stood  about  the  table  conversing  in  formal  tones 
while  madame  kept  mademoiselle  beside  her  in 
the  background.  I  was  determined  to  obtain  a 


4O  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

nearer  view  of  the  latter,  and  after  a  little  manoeu- 
vring managed  to  make  my  way  to  madame's 
side. 

"  I  see  you  but  seldom  at  court  now,  madame," 
I  said,  making  a  direct  effort  to  sound  her  feeling, 
and  I  saw  her  quick  glance  at  my  face. 

"  I  have  always  lived  a  retired  life,"  she  replied 
calmly ;  "  but  now  my  husband  desires  me  to  ap- 
pear upon  all  state  occasions,  and  I  shall  make 
an  effort  to  obey.  I  have  heard  with  regret, 
monsieur,"  she  added,  "  that  you  are  so  soon  to 
return  to  France." 

It  was  my  turn  to  glance  at  her  in  astonishment, 
for  I  thought  for  a  moment  that  she  knew  of  some 
move  of  the  czar's ;  but  the  expression  of  her  face 
satisfied  me  that  it  was  a  haphazard  shot  and  that 
the  wish  was  father  to  the  thought. 

"  Madame  is  misinformed,"  I  said ;  "  I  have  been 
delayed,  and  do  not  now  expect  to  leave  as  soon 
as  I  supposed." 

I  saw  her  disappointment,  and  could  scarcely 
restrain  a  smile. 

"  I  am  so  fortunate,"  I  continued  gallantly,  "  as 
to  be  permitted  to  enjoy  the  society  of  my  kind 
friends  here  for  a  yet  longer  period." 

"And  Madame  de  Brousson  remains  also?"  she 
asked  a  trifle  tartly,  for  she  had  doubtless  detected 
my  observation  of  her  niece  and  knew  the  cause. 
"  Your  wife  is  a  Russian,  I  believe,  M.  le  Vicomte  ? " 
she  added. 


AUNT  AND  NIECE.  41 

This  was  my  opportunity,  and  as  soon  as  she 
gave  it,  she  regretted  it  and  stood  biting  her  lip. 

"  Yes,  madame,"  I  returned,  glancing  at  made- 
moiselle, "  my  wife  was  a  lovely  Russian  girl  about 
the  age  of  your  fair  niece  when  I  won  her.  She 
preferred  the  heart  and  sword  of  her  French  lover 
to  the  rank  and  fortune  of  one  of  the  imperial 
family,  and  I  am  happy  in  the  assurance  that  she 
has  never  regretted  her  choice." 

I  was  looking  at  mademoiselle  while  I  spoke, 
and  she  raised  her  eyes  to  mine  with  sudden  com- 
prehension, a  beautiful  blush  suffusing  her  fair 
face.  Madame,  following  my  glance,  and  seeing 
mademoiselle's  confusion,  gave  me  a  look  that 
would  have  annihilated  a  timid  man ;  but  I  was  too 
old  a  soldier  to  shrink  under  a  woman's  disappro- 
bation, and  I  took  the  opportunity  to  address 
her  niece. 

"Mademoiselle  has  never  been  to  France?"  I 
asked,  changing  my  position  so  as  to  stand  between 
the  two  women. 

"  I  have  not  had  that  happiness,  M.  le  Vicomte," 
she  replied  in  her  soft  voice,  which  had  none  of 
her  aunt's  shrewish  tones. 

"  It  is  a  fair  country,  mademoiselle,"  I  said 
pleasantly,  covertly  watching  madame's  growing 
anger ;  "  I  wish  that  you  might  see  it  and  know 
my  daughter,  who  is,  I  think,  nearly  of  your 
age." 

"It  would  give  me  much  pleasure,  monsieur," 


42  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

she  replied  softly,  her  blue  eyes  glancing  at  me 
with  a  certain  penetration  which  showed  me  that 
she  had  a  character  of  her  own  behind  that  modest 
and  blushing  exterior. 

"  Mademoiselle  would  love  France,"  I  went  on 
easily,  watching  both  aunt  and  niece ;  "  it  is  the 
country  of  beautiful  women  and  brave  men." 

Madame  laughed  harshly.  "M.  le  Marechal 
has  an  excellent  opinion  of  his  own  countrymen," 
she  said  sharply. 

"Naturally,  madame,"  I  replied  suavely;  "al- 
though Russia  is  equally  fortunate  with  us  in  the 
beauty  of  her  women,  I  will  not  admit  that  her 
men  are  more  brave." 

Madame  swept  me  a  mocking  curtsy. 

"  The  men  of  mature  years  are  doubtless  worthy 
of  every  panegyric,  M.  le  Vicomte,"  she  said 
tartly;  "but  the  young  French  gallants  whom  I 
meet  lack  discretion." 

Mademoiselle's  face  was  crimson,  whether  from 
embarrassment  at  her  aunt's  rudeness  or  at  the 
cut  at  her  lover,  I  could  not  divine ;  but  I  saw  that 
madame  was  unwittingly  playing  into  my  hands. 

"  What  young  Frenchman  has  been  so  unfortu- 
nate as  to  meet  with  madame's  disapproval?"  I  in- 
quired with  assumed  anxiety.  "  There  are  so  few 
French  in  Moscow ;  I  trust  it  is  not  my  own  friend, 
M.  de  Lambert." 

Madame  frowned;  she  had  not  anticipated  my 
candor. 


AUNT  AND  NIECE.  43 

"  My  observation  was  general  and  not  personal, 
monsieur,"  she  replied  shortly. 

"  You  relieve  my  mind  of  much  uneasiness, 
madame,"  I  said  with  feigned  earnestness.  "  I 
know  there  is  unjust  prejudice  against  my  coun- 
trymen here,  and  I  should  be  sorry  to  have  you 
misjudge  M.  de  Lambert,  one  of  the  most  gallant 
and  true  young  soldiers  of  France.  It  would  in- 
terest you,  mademoiselle,"  I  added,  turning  pleas- 
antly to  Najine,  who  had  not  yet  recovered  from 
her  embarrassment,  "  to  hear  of  his  conduct  upon 
the  field  of  Friedlingen.  His  Majesty  the  King 
of  France  has  been  pleased  to  acknowledge  per- 
sonally the  conspicuous  gallantry  of  this  young 
fellow." 

And  I  proceeded  to  tell  her  with  picturesque 
detail  some  stories  of  M.  de  Lambert's  courage, 
and  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  her  eyes  kindle 
with  excitement,  while  madame  stood  by  fuming 
and  tapping  the  floor  with  her  foot,  no  doubt 
wishing  me  back  in  my  native  land.  I  could  not 
repress  a  malicious  amusement  at  her  expense, 
she  was  so  little  adroit  in  handling  the  weapons 
of  intrigue  and  so  honestly  ill-tempered.  Her 
niece,  on  the  other  hand,  changed  visibly,  her  face 
flushing  and  her  manner  relaxing  as  she  listened 
to  my  eulogium,  and  I  knew  well  how  to  touch 
upon  those  points  of  courage  and  devotion  that 
hold  the  admiration  of  a  young  girl.  Mademoi- 
selle was  convent-bred,  and  to  her  mind  men  were 


44  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

either  the  bold  villains  of  the  ballads  or  knights  of 
the  cross,  and  she  probably  comprehended  her 
flesh-and-blood  lover  as  little  as  she  understood 
the  world.  It  seems  to  me  that  there  is  nothing 
so  sublimely  ignorant  of  life,  as  it  is,  as  a  young 
girl  just  looking  out  from  the  seclusion  of  her 
home  ;  and  it  occurred  to  me,  as  I  watched  the 
innocent  candor  of  her  emotion,  that  her  marriage 
to  the  czar  would  be  a  sacrifice  for  the  saints  to 
weep  over.  Innocence  and  purity,  youth  and 
beauty,  how  sad  the  immolation !  I  thought  of 
my  own  daughter,  and  was  drawn  towards  the 
maiden.  Perhaps  it  was  the  father  in  my  tones 
that  won  her  confidence,  for  she  looked  at  me 
with  growing  kindness  in  her  glance,  asking  more 
than  one  question  about  my  country  and  my 
home.  On  one  point  I  was  reassured :  she  was 
not  at  all  afraid  of  Madame  Zotof.  I  saw  that. 
She  was  even  a  little  amused  at  the  older  woman's 
anger,  and  I  perceived  too  that  she  had  plenty  of 
spirit,  and  was  not  likely  to  yield  herself  an  easy 
victim  to  any  of  their  intrigues ;  indeed,  there  was 
decision  in  her  manner,  and  she  had  a  proud  way 
of  holding  her  head  that  rejoiced  my  heart. 

While  I  was  still  talking  to  mademoiselle,  I 
heard  madame  utter  an  exclamation,  and,  following 
her  angry  eyes,  saw  M.  de  Lambert  entering  the 
room.  He  had  never  looked  so  handsome,  and  he 
carried  himself  haughtily  as  he  advanced  towards 
M.  Zotof.  Madame  made  a  swift  movement  to 


AUNT  AND  NIECE.  45 

intercept  his  approach  to  her  niece ;  but  I  was  too 
quick  for  her,  and  stood  directly  in  her  path,  suave 
and  smiling,  ready  to  converse  with  her ;  and  she 
hesitated,  her  face  red  and  her  sharp  eyes  trying 
to  look  over  my  shoulder  at  M.  de  Lambert,  who 
was  bending  low  over  mademoiselle's  hand.  Ma- 
dame and  I  looked  at  each  other  in  mutual  de- 
fiance, and  I  stood  my  ground. 

"  I  have  always  desired  to  ask  you,  madame," 
I  began,  saying  the  first  thing  that  came  into  my 
mind,  "  if  you  were  personally  acquainted  with  the 
Czarina  Natalia?  I  had  the  honor  to  know  her 
Majesty,  and  always  desired  to  hear  something  of 
the  last  years  of  her  life." 

"  Monsieur  had  better  ask  one  of  the  court 
functionaries,"  she  replied  tartly.  "  I  was  living 
in  the  provinces,  and  knew  little  of  her  imperial 
Majesty.  Have  the  kindness,  M.  le  Vicomte,  to 
permit  me  to  speak  to  my  niece." 

I  stood  aside  with  a  profound  bow.  I  had 
gained  my  point,  and  madame  knew  it,  for  M.  de 
Lambert  had  had  his  opportunity,  brief  though  it 
was.  Madame  Zotof  swept  up  to  Najine,  and, 
laying  a  hand  upon  her  arm,  spoke  a  few  words 
in  her  ear  which  were  not  difficult  to  interpret,  for 
the  young  girl  flushed  hotly,  and  with  a  formal 
curtsy  to  M.  de  Lambert  and  to  me  withdrew, 
leaving  her  aunt  triumphant  and  her  lover  furious. 
It  required  all  my  diplomacy  to  relieve  the  situa- 
tion, for  M.  de  Lambert  had  a  quick  temper,  and 


46  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

the  contempt  that  a  noble  nature  feels  for  intrigue. 
I  interposed  between  them,  and,  drawing  her  into 
conversation,  gave  him  time  to  recover  his  equa- 
nimity, but  was  glad  of  the  arrival  of  more  guests, 
which  furnished  an  excuse  for  our  departure,  for  I 
felt  that  I  could  not  trust  the  hot-headed  gallant 
in  madame's  hands.  As  mademoiselle  had  with- 
drawn, he  was  willing  enough  to  depart  with  me, 
and  I  breathed  more  freely  after  we  had  made  our 
formal  exit  and  I  had  him  once  more  in  the  street 

"  You  young  coxcomb,"  I  said,  addressing  him 
with  that  freedom  which  our  relative  positions  and 
my  age  permitted  me  to  use,  "  why  must  you 
anger  madame  at  the  outset,  and  so  exile  yourself 
from  the  house  which  enshrines  your  divinity? 
You  are  indeed  a  poor  diplomat." 

"Sanctus!"  he  exclaimed,  "that  woman!  If  she 
were  a  man  I  could  run  her  through,  but  she  de- 
lights in  the  immunity  of  her  sex.  A  termagant ! 
A  meddlesome  vixen  !  " 

"  Upon  my  soul !  "  I  exclaimed.  "  A  French 
gentleman  —  a  soldier,  and  calling  a  woman  such 
names !  " 

His  cheek  flushed  hotly,  and  he  quickened  his 
pace. 

"  She  deserves  them  all,  and  more,"  he  said  ;  and 
then  I  saw  that  he  held  a  scrap  of  white  paper  in 
his  hand,  and  in  a  moment  divined  the  truth. 

"  Ah,"  I  said  wickedly,  "  I  see  that  madame's 
vigilance  is  not  unwarranted,  —  signs  and  tokens." 


AUNT  AND  NIECE.  47 

For  a  moment  he  was  embarrassed,  and  then 
threw  himself  upon  my  confidence  without  reserve. 

"  It  is  but  a  line,"  he  said,  with  some  manly  con- 
fusion that  pleased  me,  "  a  line  which  I  begged 
for — to  tell  me  the  reason  of  the  change  there 
of  late.  It  is  as  I  feared ;  the  czar  is  interfering 
with  my  happiness.  The  Zotofs  have  announced 
to  her  that  they  have  other  schemes  for  her  future 
and  that  she  must  not  see  me  again,  and  she  bids 
me  farewell." 

He  was  deeply  moved,  and  for  the  moment  we 
walked  on  in  silence. 

"  Mademoiselle  does  not  strike  me  as  one  who 
would  surrender  so  easily,"  I  remarked  quietly. 

"  She  shall  not,"  he  said  passionately ;  "  she  shall 
not  be  crushed  into  submission  to  the  dictation  of 
that  woman." 

"  And  how  do  you  propose  to  avert  the  im- 
pending catastrophe?"  I  asked,  tormenting  him 
at  will,  for  he  was  wrought  up  to  the  height  of 
his  temper. 

"  I  mean  to  marry  mademoiselle  and  carry  her 
off  to  France,"  he  exclaimed  in  so  clear  a  tone 
that  I  laid  my  hand  on  his  sleeve;  but  at  that 
instant  there  was  a  scuffle  behind  us,  and  I  turned 
in  time  to  see  Touchet,  with  his  sword  half  bare, 
staring  angrily  at  a  tall  stranger  who  was  mutter- 
ing an  apology  in  Russian,  entirely  uncompre- 
hended  by  the  angry  Frenchman. 

"What  is  it,  Touchet?"  I  called  out  to  him. 


48  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

"  The  fellow  was  so  busy  listening  to  you,  M. 
le  Vicomte,  that  he  nearly  walked  over  me,  and 
now  only  stands  gibbering,"  my  equerry  answered 
angrily. 

I  translated  what  the  Russian  had  said,  and 
Touchet  let  him  pass,  but  not  before  I  had  ob- 
tained a  view  of  his  face,  and  he  looked  back  at 
me  again  after  getting  past  my  attendant.  He 
appeared  to  me  a  poor  gentleman  who  might  be 
of  the  suite  of  one  of  the  noblemen. 

"  A  word  to  you,  M.  de  Lambert,"  I  said  to  my 
companion  as  we  went  on ;  "  do  not  speak  your 
mind  so  freely  in  Moscow." 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  LIVONIAN  PEASANT  GIRL. 

IN  the  next  few  days  matters  went  from  bad  to 
worse.  M.  de  Lambert  found  it  impossible  either 
to  see  mademoiselle  or  to  communicate  with 
her,  and  I  saw  that  he  was  chafing  under  the 
restraint  and  would  break  out  into  some  act  of 
folly.  For  my  own  part,  I  regarded  his  case  as 
desperate.  The  czar  was  not  the  man  to  let  his 
wishes  be  thwarted ;  his  temper  was  as  violent  as 
his  rule  was  absolute,  and  it  grew  more  clear  every 
day  that  his  preference  for  Najine  was  a  fact,  and  not 
fancy.  That  the  Zotofs  would  be  complaisant  was 
apparent  enough,  and  mademoiselle's  own  feeling 
40&s,  after  all,  of  little  consequence.  Watching  the 
affair  in  its  slow  development,  and  being  a  con- 
stant witness  of  M.  Guillaume's  anxiety  and  dis- 
appointment, I  found  myself  becoming  almost  as 
interested  as  my  wife.  So  it  was  that  I  promised 
M.  de  Lambert  to  aid  him,  if  I  could,  knowing 
that  my  chances  of  seeing  mademoiselle  would  be 
far  better  than  his,  even  though  Madame  Zotof  re- 
garded me  with  an  eye  of  suspicion  and  was  openly 
hostile  to  Madame  de  Brousson,  having  previously 

4 


50  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

discovered  her  championship  of  mademoiselle's 
lover.  Z^na'fde  was  a  little  chagrined  that  she 
had  betrayed  herself  by  too  much  zeal,  but  was 
the  more  urgent  for  me  to  embrace  the  opportu- 
nities that  she  had  lost.  Having  all  her  friends 
among  the  women,  she  heard  the  gossip  of  the 
hour  and  was  able  to  aid  me  with  many  sugges- 
tions. Indeed,  it  was  to  her  that  the  King  of 
France  owed  the  greater  part  of  the  information 
about  the  intrigues  with  Augustus  of  Saxony 
and  the  negotiations  with  the  Republic  of  Poland  ; 
her  quick  eye  and  attentive  ear  caught  the  drift 
of  the  undercurrent.  She  was  the  first  to  see 
Catherine  Shavronsky,  and  returned  from  Mentchi- 
kofs  house  with  her  mind  full  of  the  singular 
peasant  girl. 

"  You  must  see  her,"  she  said  to  me ;  "  she  is 
not  so  poor  a  rival  for  Najine  as  I  supposed." 

"Is  she  so  charming?"  I  asked,  amused  at  my 
wife's  change  of  sentiment;  for  she  had  been 
contemptuous  of  this  woman. 

"It  is  not  altogether  that,"  Z^na'fde  replied 
thoughtfully,  "  but  there  is  something  that  I 
cannot  define.  She  is  uneducated,  she  cannot 
write,  and  she  wears  odd  clothing,  which  does  not 
fit  her ;  yet  she  has  a  certain  power  of  fascination. 
After  all,  the  czar  is  not  over-fastidious." 

"  Have  a  care,  madame,"  I  said,  smiling;  "he  is 
a  good  judge  of  beauty,  they  tell  me." 

Madame's    lip    curled    scornfully.     "There    is 


THE  LIVONIAN  PEASANT  GIRL.  51 

enough  of  physical  beauty,  and  it  is  said  that  he 
admired  her  before  he  saw  Najine." 

"  Then  it  is  the  less  likely  that  he  will  return  to 
her,  since  mademoiselle  must  be  far  more  lovely,"  I 
remarked. 

"  That  is  true,"  my  wife  admitted ;  "  yet  do  I 
think  that  this  Catherine  would  suit  his  fancy 
better,  — she  is  of  coarser  mould.  Young  enough 
too,  poor  child !  only  seventeen,  and  has  been  a 
slave  of  the  Marshal  Sheremetief !  And  now  the 
czar  stoops  to  admire  her.  May  the  saints  have 
mercy  on  the  souls  of  such  men !  I  would  have 
none !  " 

I  laughed  a  little,  in  spite  of  Z^nai'de's  angry 
glance.  "  It  is  well  that  you  are  not  to  judge 
his  imperial  Majesty,"  I  said  quietly. 

"  I  pity  the  girl,"  she  replied  sternly ;  "  but  she 
has  no  conception  of  the  misery  of  it  —  the  shame 
of  it !  An  ignorant  peasant  girl,  how  happy 
would  it  be  for  her  if  she  could  garner  the  sheaves 
in  the  field  !  Poor,  wretched  soul,  may  the  Holy 
Virgin  show  her  that  mercy  which  man  has  not 
shown,  and  woman  cannot  show." 

"  Your  sympathy  is  wasted,  Zena'fde,"  I  said 
dryly;  "she  is  not  dreaming  of  garnered  sheaves, 
but  of  a  crown." 

"  That  may  be  ;  yet  the  woman  in  my  heart 
pities  her,"  my  wife  replied  gently,  "  although  I 
doubt  not  she  would  laugh  at  my  pity.  Ignorant 
as  she  must  be,  young  as  she  is,  I  thought  her 


52  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

shrewd  and,  I  feared,  not  over-scrupulous  in  her 
ambitions.  You  must  see  her  and  judge  for 
yourself.  I  do  not  think  you  will  fall  under  the 
glamor  of  her  charms." 

I  saw  the  amusement  in  her  eyes  and  answered 
her  in  kind. 

"  You  mock  me,  madame,"  I  said  ;  "  my  gray 
hairs—" 

"  Are  no  safeguard,"  interrupted  my  wife,  laugh- 
ing softly,  "  but  a  loyal  heart  — "  and  she  made 
me  a  graceful  curtsy. 

I  kissed  her  hand  with  gallantry.  "  Madame's 
confidence  shall  not  be  betrayed,"  I  said  in  the 
same  tone. 

"  We  are  a  couple  of  fools,  Philippe,"  she 
exclaimed  gayly. 

"  True  enough,  madame,"  I  responded  calmly ; 
"  but  now  I  thought  it  fortunate  that  our  children 
were  in  France." 

"  It  is  the  old  atmosphere,  M.  le  Vicomte,"  she 
rejoined  ;  "  we  forgot  the  twenty-one  years  and  the 
young  officer  in  the  king's  guards." 

The  next  day,  following  her  advice,  I  went 
to  visit  Mentchikof  in  his  own  palace  for  the 
sole  purpose  of  obtaining  a  view  of  Catherine 
Shavronsky. 

Alexander  Mentchikof  was  a  man  of  immense 
wealth  and  great  influence.  He  was  one  of  the 
czar's  early  companions,  having  as  a  boy  enlisted 
in  Peter's  play  regiment  at  Preobrazhensky.  In 


THE  LIVONIAN  PEASANT  GIRL.  53 

the  years  of  the  Regency,  the  Czarina  Natalia  and 
her  two  children,  the  little  Czar  Peter  and  the 
Princess  Natalia,  were  obliged  to  live  in  retirement 
in  a  villa  at  the  village  of  Preobrazhensky.  There 
was  spent  Peter's  childhood  and  youth,  and  there 
he  organized  those  military  sports  which  were  the 
delight  of  his  boyhood,  and  formed  that  famous 
regiment  which  was  to  be  the  nucleus  of  the 
Russian  army.  The  boys  that  were  on  its  muster- 
rolls  were  his  life-long  friends,  and  became  the 
men  who  shared  his  councils.  It  was  near  Preo- 
brazhensky, at  Ismailovo,  that  he  discovered  the 
ancient  English  boat  belonging  to  Nikita  Romanoff 
that  was  to  suggest  to  his  mind  the  future  Russian 
navy.  From  such  humble  beginnings  unroll  the 
destinies  of  nations,  because  He  who  holds  in  the 
hollow  of  His  hand  the  world,  works  out  His  will 
with  a  mysterious  wisdom  that  beholds  the  useful- 
ness of  even  a  grain  of  wheat  or  a  drop  of  dew. 

Mentchikof  was  the  object  of  much  jealousy,  for 
men  saw  the  czar's  increasing  affection  for  him  and 
that  he  would  probably  succeed  to  the  place  of  the 
dead  Lefort,  Peter's  Swiss  favorite,  and  they  both 
envied  and  feared  him.  His  palace  at  Moscow 
showed  every  evidence  of  that  extravagance  which 
kept  him  embarrassed  with  debts  and  which  some- 
times threatened  to  end  his  career  in  disgrace. 
On  the  day  on  which  I  presented  myself,  he  was 
entertaining  a  large  party  of  his  friends,  and  I  was 
ushered  into  a  salon  that  was  Oriental  in  its  mag- 


54  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

nificence.  It  was  a  common  custom  to  have  din- 
ner at  noon,  and  continue  the  feasting  and  gayety 
well  into  the  night,  and  even  until  the  next  morn- 
ing, the  amount  of  liquor  consumed  making  the 
last  hours  wildly  riotous.  Russian  amusements 
were  not  always  delicate ;  at  one  entertainment  at 
which  I  had  been  present,  the  representative  of 
Bacchus  walked  naked  in  the  procession,  crowned 
with  a  miter ;  the  rout  of  Bacchanalians  following 
with  great  bowls  of  wine,  mead,  beer,  and  brandy. 
I  found  it  in  my  heart  to  pity  the  lean  and 
long-limbed  Bacchus,  who  must  have  felt  the 
chill  of  the  weather,  even  in  his  effort  to  please 
the  czar ;  for  Peter  loved  coarse  and  common 
amusements. 

The  new  etiquette  was  in  force  at  the  house  of 
Mentchikof,  and  the  women  mingled  freely  with 
his  guests.  His  sister,  Madame  Golovin,  was  near 
him  when  I  entered,  and  greeted  me  with  effusion, 
warmly  seconding  his  cordiality.  I  saw  at  once 
that  I  was  not  only  a  welcome  guest,  but  that  they 
desired  to  win  me  over  to  their  interests.  Ma- 
dame Golovin  immediately  presented  me  to  Daria 
Arsenief,  who,  it  was  rumored,  was  soon  to  wed 
Mentchikof.  Mademoiselle  Arsenief  was  a  hand- 
some and  clever  woman,  and  I  should  doubtless 
have  soon  been  interested  in  her  conversation  if  I 
had  not  been  more  curious  to  observe  the  candi- 
date for  the  czar's  favor,  whom  I  had  noticed,  as 
soon  as  I  entered,  standing  at  the  further  end  of 


THE  LIVONIAN  PEASANT  GIRL.  55 

the  salon,  surrounded  by  a  little  court  of  her  own. 
She  was  of  medium  height,  and  finely  formed,  her 
figure  being  extremely  graceful,  her  complexion 
beautiful,  and  her  hair  of  a  flaxen  color.  She  had 
dark  brows,  and  large  bright  dark  eyes,  and  a 
charming  mouth,  which  made  her  smile  most 
winning.  Youth  and  a  certain  vivacity  of  man- 
ner completed  an  attractive  picture.  I  found 
myself  immediately  comparing  her  with  Made- 
moiselle Zotof.  Najine's  face  was  fair,  intellec- 
tual, spiritual,  with  a  charm  of  its  own  difficult  to 
define,  while  Mademoiselle  Shavronsky  had  the 
beauty  of  the  flesh,  the  brilliant  eye,  the  rosy 
cheek,  the  red-lipped  mouth.  It  was  impossible 
to  imagine  which  would  command  the  heart  of 
the  imperial  lover.  So  full  was  my  mind  of  all 
these  speculations  that  Madame  Golovin  rallied 
me  on  my  preoccupation,  and  I  was  at  a  loss  for 
a  suitable  reply.  However  she  laughed  gayly. 

"  It  is  not  difficult  to  understand  you,  M.  le 
Marechal,"  she  said,  shaking  her  finger  at  me; 
"  your  mind  has  been  following  your  eyes,  but  we 
cannot  permit  that.  Catherine  Shavronsky  has 
already  become  too  important  a  figure,  and  we 
poor  mortals,  Daria  and  I,  cannot  suffer  her  to 
draw  all  attention  away  from  us." 

"  And  yet,"  added  Mademoiselle  Arsenief,  smil- 
ing, "  we  understand  the  temptation.  Is  she  not 
beautiful,  monsieur?" 

"  Very  beautiful,  mademoiselle,"    I  replied  gal- 


56  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

lantly ;  "  she  might  appear  even  more  so  alone, 
but  by  the  side  of  two  other  beauties  she  cannot 
reign  undisputed." 

Mademoiselle  Arsenief  made  me  a  curtsy,  but 
Madame  Golovin  caught  at  my  words. 

"  '  Reign  alone ' !  "  she  repeated  ;  "  ah,  monsieur, 
you  see  it?  She  looks  an  empress,  does  she  not?  " 

Here  was  a  shaft  shot  fairly  at  the  mark,  and 
I  felt  an  inclination  to  smile,  but  commanded 
my  countenance  and  regarded  madame  with 
composure. 

"  Every  beautiful  woman  is  an  empress  of  our 
hearts,  madame,"  I  said  with  the  tone  of  a  courtier ; 
and  she  bit  her  lip,  a  little  chagrined,  I  thought, 
at  the  ease  with  which  I  had  blunted  the  point  of 
her  remark. 

"  Monsieur  desires  to  be  presented,  no  doubt," 
she  said  after  a  moment. 

"  Madame,  it  would  give  me  much  pleasure,"  I 
replied ;  and  at  my  words  she  turned  and  led  the 
way  down  the  long  salon  to  the  spot  where  Cath- 
erine was  holding  her  court. 

There  were  two  mirrors  at  the  end  of  the 
apartment  which  reflected  the  entire  scene.  As  I 
approached,  I  could  read  the  faces  of  the  men 
who  were  standing  with  their  backs  towards  me 
talking  to  the  beauty,  and  I  saw  in  their  mirrored 
images  the  attention  and  rivalry  of  courtiers  eager 
to  propitiate  a  rising  power.  How  often  had  I 
witnessed  similar  scenes  at  Versailles  with  La 


THE  LIVONIAN  PEASANT  GIRL.  57 

Valliere,  with  Madame  de  Montespan,  and  now 
the  same  sycophants  pulled  long  faces  to  suit 
the  more  subdued  taste  of  Madame  de  Maintenon. 
Yet  this  was  a  brilliant  picture;  here  were  some 
of  the  gayest  rufflers  of  the  court,  with  their  velvet 
coats  and  satin  breeches  and  jewelled  swords  ;  and 
in  their  midst  was  Catherine  Shavronsky,  in  a  gay 
robe  that  had  a  suggestion  of  that  tawdry  imita- 
tion of  European  fashion  upon  which  my  wife  had 
commented.  Even  I  could  see  that  she  had  not 
the  appearance  of  a  Frenchwoman,  yet  no  attire 
could  disguise  her  fine  figure,  and  she  held  her- 
self with  imperious  dignity,  as  if  she  already  tasted 
the  sweets  of  the  power  that  she  coveted,  felt  in 
imagination  the  imperial  diadem  on  her  head. 
For  some  reason  the  thought  flashed  upon  me  of 
the  forlorn  Eudoxia  in  her  postcart  going  to  Suz- 
dal, and  of  the  faithless  Anna  Mons,  and  I  bowed 
low  over  Catherine's  hand  to  hide  my  smile.  How 
poor  a  thing  is  an  emperor's  favor ! 

She  greeted  me  with  conspicuous  kindness,  and 
I  was  not  a  little  amused  at  her  assumption  of 
importance,  —  this  poor  Livonian  peasant  girl,  who 
had  been  a  servant  in  the  family  of  Pastor  Gluck 
and  one  of  Sheremetief  s  prisoners  at  the  fall  of 
Marienburg !  A  poor  little  orphan  girl  and  grasp- 
ing now  at  a  crown  !  However,  I  saw  at  once  that 
here  was  a  strong  character,  and  that  she  would 
be  no  mean  rival  for  the  other  candidates ;  more- 
over, her  beauty  was  of  that  material  and  dazzling 


58  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

type  that  seemed  to  me  most  likely  to  attract  the 
czar's  admiration.  She  talked  to  me  eagerly,  and  I 
found  her  manner  engaging,  and  her  voice  was  soft 
and  gentle ;  she  asked  many  questions  about  my 
country  and  my  journey,  showing  a  ready  wit. 
She  amused  me  by  inquiring,  in  a  direct  fashion, 
about  M.  de  Lambert;  betraying  that  she  was 
acquainted  with  a  little  of  the  intrigue  that  was 
in  progress,  but  I  doubted  if  she  knew  much  of 
Mademoiselle  Zotof.  Mentchikof  was  probably 
too  shrewd  a  man  to  trust  an  impulsive  girl  with 
all  the  particulars  of  the  czar's  wavering  and  un- 
certain fancies.  So  eager  was  she  to  propitiate 
me  that  she  neglected  her  circle  of  attendants,  and 
more  than  one  gallant  cast  an  angry  glance  at  me, 
until  at  last  I  reminded  her,  in  an  aside,  of  their 
presence. 

"  Mademoiselle,"  I  said  softly,  "  your  courtiers 
are  angry  because  you  are  so  gracious  to  an  old 
fellow.  I  have  noticed  many  a  black  look  in  my 
direction." 

She  gave  me  a  charming  glance.  "They  are 
not  worth  a  thought,"  she  said  in  her  sweet  tones ; 
"  it  is  only  men  like  you,  M.  le  Marechal,  who  are 
wise  enough  and  brave  enough  to  merit  a  woman's 
admiration." 

"  Mademoiselle  does  me  too  much  honor,"  I  said 
lightly,  "  but  it  is  some  young  soldier  who  will  win 
her  heart." 

For   an    instant    she   was    disconcerted,    and    I 


THE  LIVONIAN  PEASANT  GIRL.  59 

remembered  that  rumor  had  it  that  she  had  been 
betrothed  to  a  Swedish  soldier;  however  she  re- 
covered herself  and  laughed  gayly. 

"  Ah,  monsieur,"  she  said,  "  my  heart  will  never 
be  given  except  to  a  great  man — brave  —  noble  — 
generous,  a  soldier,  a  statesman  —  a  —  "  She  hesi- 
tated, her  cheek  mantling  with  color.  She  had 
read  the  expression  in  my  eye. 

"  A  prince,  mademoiselle  !  "  I  concluded  softly. 

She  flushed  crimson,  and  held  out  her  hand  with 
a  charming  gesture  of  candid  good-will.  I  took  it 
in  mine  and  looked  into  her  kindling  eyes. 

"  May  mademoiselle  be  as  fortunate  and  happy 
as  her  beauty  deserves  !  "  I  said  in  a  low  tone,  and 
then,  kissing  her  fingers,  made  my  way  through 
the  throng  to  Mentchikof,  and  so  took  my  leave. 

Pierrot  was  waiting  for  me  in  the  lower  hall,  and 
followed  as  I  went  out.  My  mind  was  much  pre- 
occupied by  the  scene  that  I  had  just  witnessed. 
I  had  the  key  to  the  situation,  but  it  was  none  the 
less  a  difficult  one.  At  present  no  danger  threat- 
ened Mademoiselle  Zotof.  I  had  no  doubt  that 
Mentchikof  and  his  party  would  use  every  fair 
means  before  they  resorted  to  foul ;  but  I  saw  also 
that  they  were  determined  to  accomplish  their  pur- 
pose, and  could  only  anticipate  trouble  for  the 
young  girl  whose  beauty  was  an  undoubted  ob- 
stacle to  their  success.  Peter's  speech  to  me  in 
regard  to  M.  de  Lambert  was  sufficient  to  carry 
conviction  as  to  his  own  feeling,  and  I  was  not 


6O  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

sure  that  Catherine  Shavronsky's  charms  could 
equal  mademoiselle's  in  his  eyes.  Meanwhile,  M. 
de  Lambert  was  in  the  unenviable  position  of  a 
rival  of  the  czar,  and  I  was  most  anxious  about  the 
hot-headed  young  man.  So  absorbed  was  I  in  my 
own  reflections  that  I  walked  on  unseeing,  and 
found  myself  in  the  Kremlin  close  to  the  Cathedral 
of  the  Assumption,  before  I  was  aware  of  it.  My 
attention  was  immediately  attracted  by  two  closely 
veiled  women  who  were  just  leaving  the  cathedral. 
There  seemed  to  be  something  familiar  in  their 
aspect,  and  I  was  observing  them  with  interest, 
when  Pierrot  approached. 

"  That  is  Mademoiselle  Zotof,  M.  le  Vicomte," 
he  said  quietly.  "  I  know  her  woman  Neonila,  and 
that  is  she  in  the  rear." 

I  saw  my  opportunity,  and  thought  of  M.  de 
Lambert's  anxiety.  In  a  moment  I  crossed  over 
and  addressed  the  more  slender  of  the  two 
figures. 

"  Mademoiselle  Zotof,"  I  said  quietly,  "  I  am 
fortunate !  " 

She  stopped,  startled  and  confused,  and  stood  a 
moment  irresolute  and  then  walked  on  at  my  side, 
her  woman  falling  behind. 

"  M.  le  Mare"chal,"  she  said  softly,  "I  —  I  did 
not  think  to  meet  you." 

"  I  trust,  mademoiselle,"  I  said  gravely,  "  that 
you  do  not  desire  to  avoid  me." 

"Oh,  no — no!"  she  exclaimed  earnestly.     "I 


THE  LI  VON  I  AN  PEASANT  GIRL.  6 1 

am  happy  in  seeing  a  friend,  for  lately  I  have  seen 
but  few." 

"  That  is  not  their  fault,  mademoiselle,"  I  re- 
plied. "  I  know  of  at  least  one  who  has  been  most 
unhappy  since  he  has  been  denied  your  presence. 
His  sun  is  obscured." 

I  was  watching  her  narrowly,  and  saw  her  ner- 
vous hands  and  her  whole  air  of  confusion. 

"  It  is  not  my  fault,  either,  monsieur,"  she  said 
gravely.  "  My  uncle  has  forbidden  me  to  appear  in 
public  at  present,  and  I  find  myself  without  even 
my  usual  liberty.  It  is  a  privilege  to  be  allowed 
to  go  to  church  with  my  woman." 

"  This  is  unnecessarily  rigorous  treatment, 
mademoiselle,"  I  said,  "  and,  of  course,  I  under- 
stand it.  You  will  permit  me  to  say  so  much?" 

She  had  put  her  veil  a  little  aside,  and  I  could 
see  her  face.  She  raised  her  eyes  to  mine  now 
with  a  half-roguish  glance. 

"  I  regard  you  as  my  friend,  monsieur,"  she 
said  softly,  and  then  added  with  a  smile  and 
a  blush,  "  you  are  a  Frenchman." 

"  And  so  is  M.  de  Lambert,  mademoiselle,"  I 
exclaimed,  quick  to  seize  my  opportunity.  "May 
I  not  take  him  some  little  message  to  reassure 
him?  Is  it  not  possible  to  arrange  this  matter  — 
to  see  him?" 

She  started,  and  I  saw  that  she  was  puzzled  and 
confused  by  the  unexpected  proposition. 

"  Come,  mademoiselle,"  I  said,  "  speak  freely  to 


62  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

me.  My  own  daughter  is  of  your  age,  and  indeed 
I  think  of  her  when  I  look  at  you.  Is  it  not 
possible  for  you  to  pass  this  way  at  this  hour 
again?  " 

She  gave  me  a  quick  glance. 

"Would  you  wish  it  if  I  were  your  daughter, 
monsieur?"  she  asked,  smiling. 

"  Were  you  my  daughter,  mademoiselle,"  I 
replied  with  decision,  "  there  is  one  who  should 
not  approach  you,  no  matter  how  exalted  his 
rank." 

Her  face  was  grave  in  an  instant,  and  her  cheek 
flushed.  I  followed  up  my  advantage. 

"  At  this  hour  to-morrow,  mademoiselle,"  I 
said  gently,  "you  will  be  here?" 

She  looked  up  at  me  with  a  suspicion  of  mis- 
chief in  her  dark  blue  eyes. 

"Ah,  M.  le  Marechal,"  she  said  softly,  "I 
comprehend  now  how  you  won  Mademoiselle 
Ramodanofsky.  You  are  excellent  —  you  are 
determined." 

"Yes,  mademoiselle,"  I  said,  smiling;  "but  you 
forget  that  I  dine  and  sup  with  a  disconsolate 
lover,  and  truly  it  destroys  my  appetite.  There- 
fore be  merciful  to  us  both." 

She  hesitated  a  moment  longer,  and  then  she 
smiled. 

"  At  this  hour  to-morrow  I  shall  be  in  church, 
monsieur,"  she  said  demurely,  "  unless  madame 
my  aunt  desires  my  presence  elsewhere." 


THE  LIVONIAN  PEASANT  GIRL.  63 

"  Mademoiselle,"  I  said  quietly,  "  I  cannot 
thank  you  for  one  who  can,  and  will,  thank  you 
for  himself." 

As  I  spoke,  she  cast  a  startled  glance  behind 
her  and  veiled  her  face.  Looking  back,  I  saw  the 
same  man  who  had  jostled  Touchet  when  M.  de 
Lambert  and  I  were  departing  from  Zotofs  house. 

"  Mademoiselle  is  alarmed,"  I  remarked. 

"  I  am  foolish,  monsieur,"  she  replied,  slightly 
agitated.  "  I  saw  the  man  before,  as  I  entered  the 
cathedral,  and  felt  as  if  he  watched  me.  Adieu, 
M.  le  Marechal,  I  must  leave  you." 

She  gave  me  her  hand  at  parting,  and  I  followed 
her  a  little  way  with  Pierrot  until  I  saw  her  and  her 
woman  safe  in  the  Zotof  carriage,  which  was  in 
waiting  across  the  square. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  TOWER   OF   IVAN   VELIKI. 

AFTER  seeing  mademoiselle  safe  in  her  carriage, 
I  turned  to  look  for  the  tall  stranger  who  had 
startled  her,  but  he  had  vanished.  I  gazed  about 
me  in  some  astonishment,  for  the  square  was  open, 
and  a  moment  before  he  had  been  at  our  heels. 

"  Morbleu!"  I  exclaimed  sharply,  "  where  is  the 
fellow?" 

"  He  went  back  into  the  cathedral,  your  Excel- 
lency," Pierrot  replied  quietly ;  "  he  walks  fast  and 
takes  but  a  moment  to  disappear." 

"You  have  noticed  him  before?"  I  asked,  my 
mind  full  of  conjectures. 

"Three  times,  monsieur,"  Pierrot  said, —  "once 
at  the  palace,  once  behind  M.  de  Lambert  in  the 
Zemlianoi-gorod,  and  once  at  the  house  of  Prince 
Dolgoruky." 

I  started,  a  solution  of  the  mystery  occurring 
to  me. 

"Is  he  an  attendant  of  Prince  Dolgoruky?"! 
asked. 

"  I  believe  he  is  the  prince's  equerry,  monsieur," 
Pierrot  replied,  looking  at  me  with  an  expression 
of  intelligence. 


THE    TOWER   OF  IVAN  VELIKI.  6$ 

Here  was  an  easy  explanation.  Dolgoruky  was 
conspicuous  among  Mentchikof  s  opponents ;  he 
was  one  of  the  older  noblemen,  and  was  no  doubt 
jealous  of  the  increasing  influence  of  the  favorite, 
probably  feeling  that  he  had  a  better  claim  to  the 
czar's  confidence  and  affection.  Moreover,  there 
was  another  motive  for  the  opposition ;  there  was 
much  sympathy  felt  for  the  exiled  czarina  and  her 
son,  the  czarevitch,  which  would  imbitter  the 
faction  against  Catherine  Shavronsky.  She  was 
the  candidate  of  Mentchikof,  and  he  was  secretly 
accused  of  having  intrigued  to  depose  Eudoxia; 
the  czarina  herself  had  openly  reproached  him 
with  exercising  a  bad  influence  over  the  czar,  and 
it  was  thought  that  he  was  unfriendly  to  the 
Czarevitch  Alexis.  There  could  be  no  doubt  that 
a  man  like  Alexander  Mentchikof  would  bitterly 
resent  Eudoxia's  reproaches,  and  it  was  natural 
that  he  should  have  no  friendship  for  her  son. 
The  opposing  faction,  therefore,  saw  a  double 
danger  in  his  intrigues;  if  he  could  establish 
Catherine  upon  the  throne,  her  children  might 
succeed  instead  of  Alexis ;  and  all  the  old  party, 
hating  Peter's  reforms,  were  rallying  around  the 
son  of  Eudoxia,  who  was  herself  a  type  of  the 
uneducated,  bigoted  women  of  the  old  Moscovite 
Court.  Better  that  the  czar  should  wed  one  of 
their  own  partisans  than  be  swayed  by  a  mistress 
of  Mentchikof 's  selection  !  Zotof  was  one  of  them- 
selves, and  I  had  no  doubt  that  the  faction  was 

5 


66  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

behind  him  in  his  desire  to  marry  his  niece  to 
Peter,  in  which  case  mademoiselle  would  be  the 
object  of  constant  intrigue.  They  probably  sup- 
posed that  they  could  control  the  "  Prince  Pope  " 
and  insure  the  succession  of  Alexis,  in  precedence 
of  any  children  that  might  be  born  of  a  union 
between  the  czar  and  Najine.  And  her  selec- 
tion would  be  less  of  an  insult  to  Eudoxia  than 
the  elevation  of  Mentchikof  s  creature.  All  these 
things  increased  the  difficulties  of  the  situation, 
and  I  was  convinced  that  Prince  Dolgoruky, 
fearing  the  miscarriage  of  his  schemes,  had  set  a 
watch  upon  mademoiselle  and  her  French  lover, 
and  the  suspicion  of  the  French  that  was  prevalent 
at  Moscow  increased  the  peril  for  M.  de  Lambert. 
A  glance  at  Pierrot's  face  satisfied  me  that  he,  too, 
comprehended  the  situation ;  he  was  a  shrewd  fox, 
and  grasped  it  as  quickly  as  I  did. 

"Warn  Touchet,"  I  said  to  him  significantly; 
"  he  does  not  understand  the  language,  but  he  has 
a  quick  eye  and  a  good  sword  arm." 

"  I  understand,  M.  le  Vicomte,"  Pierrot  replied 
stolidly,  and  we  walked  on  across  the  square. 

I  was  not  startled,  indeed  not  even  surprised, 
when  a  few  moments  later  I  encountered  Prince 
Dolgoruky  himself.  He  came  out  of  the  refectory 
of  the  Miracle  Monastery,  accompanied  only  by  one 
of  the  court  dwarfs,  and,  seeing  me,  stopped  to 
await  my  approach.  Personally,  I  liked  the  prince, 
although  he  was  a  somewhat  pompous  man,  and 


THE    TOWER   OF  IVAN  VELIKI.  6/ 

probably  opposed  to  every  scheme  I  had  on  foot. 
Greeting  me  pleasantly,  he  walked  with  me  towards 
the  Gate  of  the  Redeemer.  Whatever  his  thoughts 
were,  he  turned  the  conversation  at  once  on  pol- 
itics. Not  all  the  Russians  felt  confidence  in  the 
Saxon  alliance;  they  knew  that  the  War  of  the 
Spanish  Succession  would  involve  the  interests  of 
King  Augustus,  who  was  the  creature  of  Austria 
and  they  already  saw  Russia  deserted  by  her 
allies,  and  attacked  by  Sweden  on  the  north  and 
Turkey  on  the  south.  Denmark  had  been  disposed 
of,  and  the  wiser  statesmen  never  trusted  Augustus 
the  Dissembler,  and  their  doubts  were  amply 
justified  by  the  trick  he  played  Russia  at  the 
Peace  of  Altranstadt.  Dolgoruky  in  his  talk  with 
me  showed  his  contempt  for  the  Polish-Saxon 
intrigue. 

"  What  we  want,"  he  said  frankly,  "  is  an  advan- 
tageous peace  with  Sweden.  We  must  have  the 
Neva  and  St.  Petersburg,  but  for  my  own  part  I 
am  weary  of  his  Majesty  of  Poland.  In  the  end 
he  will  make  a  peace  with  Charles  XII.  that  will 
suit  him  and  will  not  suit  the  czar.  He  would 
rather  lose  two  Polands  than  two  feet  of  his  native 
Saxony." 

The  event  proved  the  truth  of  the  prince's  as- 
sertion, but  I  was  not  prepared  to  commit  myself 
on  the  subject. 

"  Poland  seems  to  me  the  most  unfortunate,"  I 
said,  smiling,  "  since  she  must  support  the  war 


68  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

and  see  her  territory  parcelled  out  by  the  con- 
querors." 

"  Poland  should  be  ours,"  Dolgoruky  replied 
decisively  ;  "  it  is  too  much  a  part  of  Russia  to  be 
torn  to  pieces  by  Augustus  and  that  madman  of 
Sweden." 

"Charles  XII.,"  I  said  quietly;  "a  brilliant 
young  hero." 

"  A  lunatic  !  "  exclaimed  the  Russian,  contempt- 
uously. "  Do  you  remember  the  '  Gottorp  Fury,' 
when  he  and  his  cousin  Frederick,  the  Duke  of 
Holstein-Gottorp,  rode  through  Stockholm  in  their 
shirts,  and  spent  a  day  striking  off  the  heads  of 
sheep  in  the  palace,  until  the  floors  and  staircases 
ran  with  blood,  while  they  threw  the  bleeding 
heads  out  of  the  windows  ?  Such  men  are  fools." 

"  The  Duke  of  Holstein-Gottorp  is  the  casus 
belli  between  Sweden  and  Denmark,"  I  remarked 
dryly. 

Dolgoruky  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  Compare 
these  men  with  his  imperial  Majesty,"  he  said, 
"  and  you  will  find  them  but  indifferent  pictures  of 
royalty.  Charles  is  at  best  but  a  mad  king  and  a 
mad  soldier,  while  the  czar  has  all  the  attributes  of 
greatness,  and  only  the  one  weakness  of  trusting 
too  implicitly  in  the  judgment  of  those  who  have 
won  his  regard." 

I  knew  that  he  referred  to  Mentchikof,  and  was 
amused. 

"  A  weakness  that  is  not  unusual,"  I  remarked; 


THE    TOWER   OF  IVAN  VELIKI.  69 

"  a  sovereign  is  often  betrayed  through  his 
confidence !  " 

"  Too  often,"  Dolgoruky  said  with  feeling  "  and 
once  a  favorite  is  established,  he  will  stop  at 
nothing  to  gain  complete  control  of  his  master's 
affairs ;  when  a  woman  is  added  to  the  complica- 
tion, it  passes  an  honest  man's  patience." 

"  Monsieur,"  I  said,  smiling,  "  the  Court  of 
France  has  been  swayed  by  many  fair  women 
since  Gabrielle  d'Estrees  quarrelled  with  Sully,  and 
before  her  day  too.  A  courtier  must  learn  to  win 
the  good  graces  of  the  queen  of  the  hour;  it  is 
only  a  plain  soldier,  like  myself,  who  can  afford  to 
carve  his  fortune  with  his  sword." 

<f  I  would  rather  carve  mine  with  my  sword,"  he 
exclaimed,  "  than  sue  for  favor  from  —  "  He 
checked  himself  in  time,  catching  the  amusement 
in  my  eye. 

We  had  left  the  Kremlin  and  were  walking 
through  the  Kitai-gorod ;  a  few  rods  more  would 
bring  us  to  the  spot  where  our  paths  would  natu- 
rally separate. 

"  Be  warned,  prince,"  I  said  kindly.  "  I  have 
seen  many  changes,  many  shifts  of  fortune.  Let 
the  court  intrigues  have  a  smooth  road ;  seek  only 
the  service  of  the  state." 

He  looked  at  me  keenly,  and  smiled. 

"  Is  that  advice  entirely  disinterested,  mon- 
sieur? "  he  asked. 

We  had  both  stopped,  for  here  our  ways  parted. 


70  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

"  You  must  take  the  advice  for  what  it  is  worth," 
I  replied  calmly. 

As  I  spoke,  I  glanced  back  and  discovered  the 
tall  man,  who  had  shadowed  mademoiselle,  coming 
along  a  little  behind  Pierrot.  I  glanced  at  the 
prince,  and  saw  that  he  had  followed  my  eyes. 

"  Your  equerry  is  over-zealous,"  I  said,  a  trifle 
sharply. 

He  started.  "My  equerry?"  he  repeated  with 
affected  surprise. 

"Yes,  monsieur,"  I  replied  coldly,  "your 
equerry.  This  is  not  the  first  time  that  I  have 
found  him  in  my  wake.  I  trust  your  Excellency 
will  advise  him  to  give  my  attendants  more  elbow- 
room  ;  they  are  both  Frenchmen,  and  they  cannot 
become  accustomed  to  Moscovite  manners." 

Dolgoruky  was  annoyed.  He  was  not  skilful 
in  the  art  of  dissimulation,  and  stood  frowning, 
uncertain  whether  to  resent  my  manner  or 
not. 

"  It  is  Tikhon,"  he  said  after  a  moment  "  I 
will  speak  to  him ;  he  is  a  stupid  fellow,  and  has 
probably  erred  through  ignorance." 

"His  face  belies  him  then,"  I  said  dryly;  "I 
never  saw  a  face  more  shrewd.  I  bid  your  Ex- 
cellency adieu." 

With  this  we  parted,  and  he  summoned  Tikhon, 
and  I  heard  hot  words  as  I  passed  on.  Dolgoruky 
was  manifestly  angered  and  surprised  that  I  had 
fathomed  his  scheme  of  espionage,  and  I  was  well 


.       THE    TOWER   OF  IVAN   VELIKI.  71 

satisfied  that  I  had  been  able  to  warn  him  that  he 
had  shown  his  hand. 

Half  an  hour  later,  I  went  to  my  lodgings  to 
find  M.  de  Lambert  but  just  returned  from  a  fruit- 
less visit  to  Zotof  s  house.  He  was  sitting  mood- 
ily at  the  table  writing  a  letter,  and  scarcely  noticed 
me  as  I  removed  my  cloak  and  sword.  I  was 
amused  at  his  indifference,  knowing  that  my  tid- 
ings would  speedily  dispel  his  apathy. 

"  You  should  have  visited  the  Kremlin  to-day, 
M.  Guillaume,"  I  said  quietly. 

He  looked  up  at  me  carelessly,  and  with 
some  little  surprise  at  my  apparently  meaningless 
remark. 

"  It  will  be  well  for  you  to  pass  the  Cathedral 
of  the  Assumption  to-morrow  afternoon,"  I  added, 
smiling. 

In  a  moment  he  had  caught  my  meaning,  and 
his  face  kindled. 

"You  have  seen  her?"  he  exclaimed,  springing 
up  with  his  usual  impetuosity. 

"  Seen  her?  "  I  repeated  tormentingly  ;  "  that  is 
certainly  indefinite,  monsieur.  How  many  women 
are  there  in  Moscow?" 

"  Ma  foil"  he  exclaimed  impatiently,  "you 
try  me,  M.  le  Marechal;  you  understand  me  well 
enough,  but  you  love  your  own  amusement." 

"  Come  now,  M.  de  Lambert,"  I  said  lightly, 
"  let  me  have  my  jest.  Have  I  not  sat  opposite 
a  disconsolate  lover  long  enough  to  dull  my  spirit? 


72  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

But  I  will  not  try  you  longer;  I  did  see  Mademoi- 
selle Zotof  to-day  and  spoke  with  her,  so  I  am  a 
fortunate  man." 

His  face  flushed,  and  his  honest  brown  eyes 
lighted  up  so  pleasantly  that  I  forgave  him  many 
short-comings. 

"  Was  madame  with  her?  "  he  asked  quickly. 

"  She  was  attended  only  by  her  woman,"  I  re- 
plied, "  and  had  been  to  the  cathedral.  I  spoke 
to  her,  and  I  think  that  she  was  glad  to  see  me. 
I  did  not  forget  you,  monsieur.  I  pleaded  your 
cause  —  in  short,  she  will  go  to  the  cathedral 
to-morrow  at  the  same  hour." 

He  caught  my  hand  and  shook  it  warmly. 
There  was  no  need  for  words,  for  I  understood 
him,  and  knew  too  that  I  had  gained  a  hold  upon 
his  heart.  After  a  little  I  told  him  of  Prince 
Dolgoruky  and  of  Tikhon. 

"  Be  warned,  M.  de  Lambert,"  I  said;  "there  is 
danger  ahead.  You  are  unfortunate  enough  to  be 
the  object  of  one  party's  hopes  and  the  other's 
anxiety,  —  in  either  case  a  dangerous  position; 
even  more  so  than  mademoiselle's,  whose  place  in 
the  czar's  favor  intimidates  while  it  excites  the 
schemers.  You,  on  the  other  hand,  have  no  shel- 
ter but  the  majesty  of  the  King  of  France,  not  so 
potent  here  in  Moscow;  your  own  wit  and  your 
own  sword  must  be  your  chief  reliance." 

"  The  danger  to  myself  concerns  me  not  at  all," 
he  replied,  "  but  for  mademoiselle  I  am  deeply  dis- 


THE    TOWER   OF  IVAN  VELIKI.  73 

turbed.  Mentchikof  will  leave  no  stone  unturned 
to  advance  this  Livonian  woman  ;  and  while  his 
success  would  insure  my  chances  of  happiness, 
his  defeat  would  increase  mademoiselle's  peril. 
Prince  Dolgoruky's  conduct  shows  how  deep  the 
intrigue  runs,  and  it  seems  to  me  only  to  add 
another  complication." 

"  The  prince  represents  the  other  faction  at 
court,"  I  assented,  "  and  I  do  not  doubt  their  de- 
termination to  defeat  Mentchikof.  But  you  may 
take  this  comfort,  monsieur :  the  favorite  is  a  power 
with  the  czar,  and  Mademoiselle  Shavronsky  has 
beauty,  wit,  and  ambition ;  therefore  there  is  hope 
that  the  autocrat  may  prefer  the  coarser  charms  of 
Catherine  to  mademoiselle's  delicate  beauty." 

He  listened  to  me  courteously,  but  I  saw  that  he 
had  a  lover's  conviction  that  no  woman  could  bear 
comparison  with  mademoiselle.  He  was  too  elated 
by  the  prospect  of  seeing  his  divinity  to  bear  seri- 
ous remonstrance,  but  I  prevailed  upon  him  not  to 
go  alone  to  meet  her.  I  had  seen  enough  to  fear 
foul  play,  and  determined  to  constitute  myself  his 
guardian.  I  felt  responsible  for  the  young  hot- 
head, and  then  too  he  had  won  my  regard.  He 
was  so  brave  a  soldier,  so  true  a  gentleman,  so 
good  a  lover  that  he  rejoiced  my  heart.  The 
foibles  of  the  court  had  failed  to  spoil  him,  and 
I  could  forgive  the  fastidious  elegance  of  the 
courtier  when  I  saw  it  side  by  side  with  conspicuous 
courage. 


74  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

The  appointed  hour  on  the  following  day  found 
us  in  the  Kremlin ;  M.  de  Lambert  was  all 
impatience,  and  I  confess  that  my  own  interest 
was  keen.  Touchet  attended  us ;  for  many  rea- 
sons, I  preferred  a  man  who  understood  but  little 
Russ  and  would  comprehend  less  of  the  situation 
than  did  Pierrot.  We  took  up  our  position  near  the 
Tower  of  Ivan  Veliki,  and  M.  de  Lambert  had 
time  to  become  thoroughly  impatient  before 
mademoiselle  arrived.  Whether  her  heart  failed 
her  at  the  last  moment  or  madame  detained  her  I 
know  not,  but  we  had  waited  a  full  half-hour 
before  M.  de  Lambert  uttered  an  exclamation  and 
hurried  forward  to  meet  two  closely  veiled  women 
who  were  coming  towards  us.  Mademoiselle  saw 
me,  so  I  advanced  also  to  greet  her.  She  lifted 
her  veil  and  showed  a  charming  face,  suffused 
with  a  rosy  hue  that  increased  the  luster  of  her 
eyes.  She  evidently  felt  that  she  had  taken  a 
decided  step,  and  was  doubtful  of  the  propriety 
of  her  course,  M.  de  Lambert's  ardent  greeting 
increasing  her  natural  confusion.  A  flushed  and 
handsome  young  pair  they  looked,  as  they  stood 
there  before  me,  shamefaced  but  manifestly  happy 
at  meeting  each  other. 

"  Mademoiselle,"  I  said  gently,  "  I  thank  you 
for  remembering  my  petition ;  the  day  is  brighter 
for  seeing  you." 

She  smiled  as  she  replied  softly  to  my  greeting, 
and  then  I  discreetly  withdrew  to  a  little  distance, 


THE    TOWER   OF  IVAN   VELIKI.  J$ 

that  they  might  have  an  opportunity  to  converse. 
Her  woman  was  waiting  with  Touchet,  but  as  she 
spoke  no  French  and  he  only  a  few  words  of  Russ, 
they  made  an  amusing  by-play  by  their  gestures 
and  grimaces,  which  indeed  conveyed  nothing  of 
their  meaning  to  each  other.  I  watched  them 
with  enjoyment,  for  it  was  evident  that  Touchet 
found  it  an  effort  to  entertain  her,  and  she  regarded 
him  with  distrust  as  an  alien.  Meanwhile  made- 
moiselle and  her  lover  walked  to  and  fro  in  the 
shadow  of  the  great  Tower  of  Ivan  Veliki,  con- 
versing in  low  tones ;  now  and  then  I  caught 
the  czar's  name  and  madame's,  and  could  see  that 
M.  de  Lambert  grew  more  eloquent  each  moment, 
while  mademoiselle  was  apparently  uncertain ;  yet 
her  face  was  brighter  than  on  the  previous  day. 
They  had  been  talking  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  and 
seemed  to  forget  me,  although  I  could  overhear  a 
sentence  or  two  as  they  passed  and  repassed  me 
in  their  promenade. 

"  He  is  the  czar  and  I  but  a  poor  French 
gentleman,"  he  said ;  "  he  can  offer  you  a 
crown  and  I  —  nothing  but  my  sword  and  my 
heart." 

I  saw  mademoiselle's  face,  and  she  gave  her 
lover  a  charming  glance. 

"Is  your  heart  so  poor  a  thing,  monsieur?" 
she  asked ;  "it  seems  to  me  that  a  true  heart 
weighed  in  the  scale  with  a  diadem  would  exceed 
the  jewelled  bauble." 


76  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

"  You  will  be  true  to  me,  Najine ! "  he  cried 
passionately. 

"  M.  de  Lambert,"  I  heard  her  reply,  as  they 
turned  back  upon  their  walk,  "  I  come  of  a  loyal 
race,  and  the  empty  honor  of  a  crown  could 
not  shake  my  faith.  Is  there  a  better  gift 
than  an  honest  heart?  A  throne  and  a  heart 
are  offered  me  —  Guillaume,  I  prefer  the 
heart !  " 

I  smiled ;  were  there  ever  two  more  simple 
children?  Yet  I  loved  them  both  for  their  sim- 
plicity. A  few  moments  later,  mademoiselle  had 
bidden  him  adieu  and  came  towards  me  with  her 
veil  down,  so  that  I  could  but  dimly  see  her 
blushing  cheeks  as  she  parted  from  me.  She  had 
forbidden  our  attendance,  and  with  her  woman 
walked  rapidly  away;  as  they  did  so,  I  saw 
Tikhon  come  out  of  the  cathedral  and  follow  in 
their  wake,  and  knew  that  we  had  been  watched. 
M.  de  Lambert  saw  it  as  quickly  as  I  did,  and, 
before  I  could  stop  him,  dashed  off  in  pursuit. 
Knowing  his  hot  blood,  I  followed  at  once  with 
Touchet,  anticipating  mischief.  Mademoiselle  and 
her  companion,  walking  fast,  gained  upon  their 
follower,  and,  turning  the  corner  of  the  cathedral, 
disappeared  just  as  M.  de  Lambert  overtook  the 
Russian,  and  I  could  see  that  they  disputed 
together.  Before  I  reached  them,  Guillaume 
struck  the  spy  a  blow  with  the  flat  of  his  sword 
that  stretched  him  on  the  ground;  I  know  not 


THE    TOWER   OF  IVAN  VELIKI.  77 

what  would  have  ensued  if  I  had  not  come  up  in 
time  to  catch  his  arm. 

"You  madman!"  I  exclaimed,  "that  is  Prince 
Dolgoruky's  equerry.  What  folly  is  this?" 

But  M.  de  Lambert's  blood  was  up.  "The  vil- 
lain!" he  cried  fiercely;  "has  he  no  other  em- 
ployment than  to  follow  mademoiselle  about  the 
city?  I  will  teach  him  better  manners." 

But  Tikhon  had  scrambled  to  his  feet  while  I 
held  his  assailant;  and  although  the  fellow's  face 
was  white  with  fury,  he  had  felt  the  strength  of 
the  Frenchman's  arm,  and  had  no  taste  for  more. 
Perhaps,  too,  he  saw  the  malicious  delight  on 
Touchet's  countenance,  for  my  man  stood  regard- 
ing the  performance  with  unmitigated  approval. 

"Be  off!"  I  exclaimed  harshly;  "and  let  this 
be  a  lesson  to  you  to  quit  the  office  of  a  common 
spy  upon  French  gentlemen." 

He  lowered  at  us  with  open  resentment,  but 
nevertheless  retreated  slowly,  as  if  half  ashamed 
to  yield  to  my  command.  It  was  plain  that  only 
the  number  of  his  enemies  discomfited  him. 
When  he  was  out  of  sight,  I  read  my  fiery  lover  a 
lesson,  although  I  knew  it  was  to  little  purpose, 
for  he  was  at  the  white  heat  of  anger;  nor  did  I 
greatly  blame  him  for  his  righteous  indignation; 
nevertheless,  it  was  my  duty  to  warn  him. 

"You  forget  mademoiselle,"  I  said  signifi- 
cantly; "  it  does  her  no  good  to  have  this  knave's 
ill  will.  It  is  easy  to  see  that  she  is  watched  at 


78  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER, 

every  step  —  watched  by  a  party  at  court.  Prince 
Dolgoruky  would  not  stoop  to  set  a  spy  upon  her 
unless  grave  interests  were  involved. " 

But  I  might  as  well  have  talked  to  the  wind. 
He  would  brook  no  interference  in  any  matter 
touching  mademoiselle,  and  I  saw  that  he  took 
my  cautions  with  a  poor  grace,  almost  resenting 
my  timely  interference. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

CATHERINE   AND    THE    CZAR. 

IT  was  not  until  the  day  after  the  meeting  with 
mademoiselle  at  the  Kremlin  that  M.  de  Lam- 
bert confided  to  me  something  of  her  talk  with 
him.  It  appeared  that  Zotof  was  straining  every 
nerve  to  bring  about  her  union  with  the  czar, 
with  or  without  her  consent;  Dolgoruky,  the 
Marshal  Sheremetief,  and  a  dozen  more  of  the 
nobility  supporting  him  in  his  desire  for  an  alli- 
ance that  would  destroy  rather  than  strengthen 
the  influence  of  Mentchikof.  The  old  jealousy  of 
the  favorite,  "the  man  of  the  hour,"  was  glowing 
in  the  bosoms  of  Mentchikof's  associates,  and  it 
was  probable  that  they  would  go  to  any  length  to 
defeat  his  attempt  to  establish  Catherine  Sha- 
vronsky  in  the  czar's  favor,  and  the  fact  that  Peter 
had  openly  expressed  his  admiration  for  Najine 
supplied  a  weapon  ready  to  their  hands. 

There  was  an  old  custom  that  the  czar  should 
send  the  bridal  robes  to  the  maiden  whom  he  had 
selected,  as  a  sign  that  his  choice  was  made. 
Mademoiselle  told  her  lover  that  Madame  Zotof 
was  already  making  preparations  for  some  such 


80  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

event.  Najine  herself  was  determined  to  resist 
any  coercion,  and  she  had  a  fine  spirit.  Peter 
had  declared  against  the  old  compulsory  mar- 
riages, and  he  would  scarcely  care  to  be  the  first 
to  violate  his  own  regulations;  so  there  was  the 
better  opportunity  for  mademoiselle  to  assert  her 
independence.  The  czar  had  probably  not  fore- 
seen the  possibility  of  any  woman  being  indiffer- 
ent to  his  advances;  his  success  in  affairs  of  the 
heart  having  been  already  but  too  conspicuous. 
But,  after  all,  I  fancied  that  mademoiselle's  re- 
sistance could  scarcely  endure  under  the  pressure 
that  would  be  brought  to  bear.  Peter's  tempera- 
merit  was  not  one  to  brook  disappointment,  and 
there  was  the  force  of  his  powerful  will  which  it 
would  be  hard  for  one  young  girl  to  resist.  I  saw 
that  even  M.  de  Lambert  was  much  cast  down, 
and  I  felt  more  anxiety  than  he  did,  for  I  had  also 
the  responsibility  of  steering  him  clear  of  the 
quicksands  of  trouble  that  were  spreading  about 
his  feet.  I  staked  my  chief  hopes  on  Mentchikof, 
on  his  ambition,  diplomacy,  and  influence,  and  I 
determined  to  keep  him  informed  of  the  Dol- 
goruky  intrigue  by  a  delicate  hint  now  and  then 
which  would  serve  as  a  guide  for  his  ready  wit. 
He  was  not  slow  to  divine  my  friendliness  to  his 
scheme,  and  I  saw  that  he  was  inclined  to  extend 
every  favor  in  his  power  to  Guillaume  de  Lam- 
bert; his  kindness  to  him  somewhat  reassuring 
me,  for  I  was  convinced  that  he  would  not  will- 


CATHERINE  AND   THE   CZAR.  8 1 

ingly  injure  Mademoiselle  Zotof,  if  she  could  be 
removed  from  his  path  without  violence. 

It  was  at  Mentchikof's  palace  that  I  saw  the 
czar  bestow  some  marked  notice  upon  the  Livo- 
nian  girl,  but  at  the  same  time  he  did  not  forget  to 
be  cold  to  M.  de  Lambert.  It  was  a  week  after 
the  meeting  by  the  Tower  of  Ivan  Veliki  that  we 
were  bidden  to  a  ball  by  Mentchikof.  Madame 
de  Brousson  had  no  love  for  these  fetes  where 
the  czar  presided ;  there  was  frequently  too  much 
liquor  and  too  much  violence,  so  she  pleaded  in- 
disposition, and  M.  de  Lambert  and  I  went  alone. 
If  the  truth  must  be  told,  I  think  that  madame 
my  wife  looked  with  disapproval  upon  both 
Mademoiselle  Arsenief  and  Catherine,  and  there- 
fore avoided  their  presence.  She  had  always  pre- 
ferred to  live  a  retired  life,  and  the  sins  and  the 
follies  of  a  court  were  little  to  her  taste.  As 
a  young  girl,  she  had  seemed  to  me  a  model  of 
purity,  and  she  was  no  less  so  as  a  matron. 

M.  Guillaume  and  I  were  late  in  arriving  at 
the  palace  of  Mentchikof,  and  found  it  already 
crowded  by  the  suite  of  the  czar.  When  Peter 
went  to  dine,  it  was  not  unusual  for  him  to  take 
with  him  eighty  or  ninety  guests  and  a  hundred 
servants.  With  some  difficulty  we  pushed  our 
way  through  the  throng  and  entered  the  salon,  at 
the  end  of  which  a  stage  had  been  erected,  and  a 
German  play  was  in  progress.  This  was  a  form 
of  entertainment  much  favored  by  Peter  and  his 

6 


82  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

court,  where  the  German  influence  predominated, 
German  clothes  were  worn,  and  the  German  lan- 
guage was  more  frequently  spoken  than  any  other, 
for  the  German  suburb  of  Moscow  had  been  a 
potent  influence  in  Peter's  early  life;  his  German 
friends  and  favorites  having  excited  the  jealousy 
of  the  Russian  people.  To  the  end  of  the  czar's 
life,  his  favor  for  foreigners  and  his  constantly 
enforced  foreign  innovations  were  causes  of  bit- 
terness and  rebellion. 

The  room  was  thronged,  and  to  avoid  interrup- 
tion M.  de  Lambert  and  I  remained  standing  at 
the  entrance,  silent  observers  of  the  scene.  The 
drama  was  not  without  wit,  but  of  a  coarse  and 
common  sort  that  would  have  been  little  to  the 
taste  of  the  Court  of  Versailles.  However,  the 
audience  seemed  to  enjoy  it,  especially  the  czar, 
who  sat  almost  in  the  center  of  the  salon  sur- 
rounded by  his  immediate  circle,  Mentchikof, 
Sheremetief,  Repnin,  Dolgoruky,  and  Prince 
Gregory  Galitsyn,  a  cousin  of  my  exiled  friend. 
The  rival  interests  of  the  court  were  represented. 
At  a  short  distance  from  the  czar  were  Madame 
Golovin,  Madame  Sheremetief,  the  Arsenief  sis- 
ters, and  Catherine  Shavronsky,  the  last  in  a 
splendid  robe  of  white  velvet  embroidered  in  sil- 
ver, and  wearing  a  rope  of  pearls  around  her  full 
white  throat.  It  was  a  brilliant  scene  of  light 
and  color,  for  all  the  great  personages  in  Moscow 
were  there,  and  the  gay  velvet  coats  and  powdered 


CATHERINE   AND    THE   CZAR,  83 

perukes  made  an  odd  contrast  to  the  old  costumes 
that  I  remembered  so  well.  Here  were  ruffles  of 
lace  and  the  sheen  of  satin,  and  on  nearly  every 
breast  gleamed  a  rare  jewel  or  a  conspicuous 
order,  the  czar  alon.e  wearing  his  usual  simple 
attire,  as  if  he  scorned  the  rules  that  he  made  for 
others. 

When  the  drama  was  over,  I  advanced  to  make 
my  obeisance  to  Peter.  He  received  me  gra- 
ciously, but  scarcely  noticed  M.  de  Lambert, 
which  was  enough  to  convince  me  that  Tikhon  had 
not  failed  to  report  his  observations.  Mentchikof 
saw  the  young  man's  embarrassment,  and  taking 
him  aside  talked  pleasantly  for  a  quarter  of  an 
hour.  Catherine  Shavronsky  was  also  gracious 
to  him,  which  amused  me  not  a  little,  especially 
as  I  noticed  that  the  czar  was  observing  her  nar- 
rowly, and  seemed  to  take  an  unusual  interest  in 
her  conduct.  I  could  not  deny  to  myself  that  she 
was  beautiful,  and  that  there  was  something  about 
her  that  suggested  an  ability  above  the  common 
order.  It  was  not  long  before  I  found  myself  in 
her  vicinity,  and  she  greeted  me  with  a  brilliant 
smile,  extending  her  hand*  She  was  not  tram- 
melled by  Mademoiselle  Zotof 's  blushes  and  youth- 
ful dignity ;  her  manner  was  calm  and  frank.  It 
was,  perhaps,  this  very  quality  that  appealed  to 
the  czar's  fancy. 

"You  were  tardy,  M.  le  Marechal,"  she  said, 
upbraiding  me.  "  I  had  almost  given  up  the  hope 


84  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

of  seeing  you,  and  we  are  fortunate  to-night  in 
having  the  presence  of  his  Majesty." 

"I  thought  that  the  czar  was  frequently  here, 
mademoiselle,"  I  said  purposely,  "in  the  house  of 
his  favored  friend." 

"Then  you  are  mistaken,  sir,"  she  retorted  a 
little  tartly.  "  It  is  long  since  his  Majesty  has 
been  here  to  enjoy  a  play.  We  have  been  under 
a  cloud,  or,  at  least,  so  it  seemed." 

I  stood  a  moment  looking  upon  the  floor. 
In  fact,  I  was  revolving  many  things  in  my 
mind. 

"Mademoiselle,"  I  remarked  absently,  "it  may 
be  that  some  other  star  drew  away  the  imperial 
attention  for  the  moment." 

A  peculiar  expression  came  over  her  face. 

"You  have  seen  the  star,"  she  said,  taking  up 
my  figure  of  speech.  "  Was  it  beautiful  ?  " 

"Most  lovely,  mademoiselle,"  I  said  at  once; 
"pure  and  unsullied  in  its  radiance." 

She  stood  there  twisting  the  pearls  about  her 
throat  until  I  saw  them  press  into  the  delicate 
flesh,  and  her  lips  were  compressed.  It  was  a 
moment  before  she  spoke. 

"I  have  been  told,"  she  said  in  a  low  voice, 
"that  some  stars  never  reach  the  greatest  heights, 
but  are  content  to  shine  in  semi-obscurity. " 

"That  may  be  true,  mademoiselle,"  I  replied; 
"but  when  a  star  is  radiant  it  must  rise,  unless 
some  brighter  planet  outshines  it." 


CATHERINE  AND    THE   CZAR.  8$ 

She  looked  at  me  keenly,  and  I  returned  her 
regard  with  a  placid  smile. 

"Your  friend  M.  de  Lambert,"  she  said,  "is, 
I  hear,  also  an  observer  of  the  stars. " 

"  I  commend  him  to  your  friendship,  mademoi- 
selle," I  said  quietly;  "it  may  be  that  he  will 
have  need  of  it.  A  brave  soldier,  but  a  hot-head. " 

"We  must  find  him  a  Russian  bride,  monsieur," 
she  said  at  once,  a  gleam  of  amusement  in  her 
eyes.  "  Mentchikof  and  all  the  members  of  this 
household  will  aid  you.  I  feel  myself  a  lively 
interest  in  M.  de  Lambert's  happiness." 

"He  is  fortunate,  mademoiselle,"  I  replied, 
"  in  having  such  champions,  but  there  is  only  one 
way  to  remove  all  rivals  from  his  path.  Made- 
moiselle Shavronsky  herself  must  interpose." 

She  twisted  the  chain  of  pearls  so  tight  that 
the  necklace  broke,  and  they  fell  scattered  on  the 
floor.  I  stooped  to  gather  the  fragments,  but  she 
received  them  with  disdain. 

"A  trifle,"  she  said,  placing  her  foot  upon 
them.  "What  are  pearls  when  I  have  not  my 
heart's  desire?" 

"Cietf"  1  exclaimed  in  a  low  tone,  "admit  it 
not,  mademoiselle.  What  can  be  beyond  the 
reach  of  your  beauty  and  your  wit  ?  The  ladder 
of  fate  is  climbed  step  by  step;  never  go  back  to 
a  lower  rung. " 

Her  momentary  peevishness  had  passed,  and 
she  gave  me  a  radiant  glance. 


86  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

"I  thank  you,"  she  said;  "the  advice  is  excel- 
lent, but  I  have  heard  that  it  is  more  bitter  to 
fall,  when  the  height  is  once  attained,  than  never 
to  attempt  the  ascent." 

"  Many  things  in  this  life  are  bitter,  mademoi- 
selle," I  replied  philosophically,  "but  youth  and 
beauty  should  not  look  upon  the  darker  side. " 

As  I  spoke,  there  was  a  sudden  confusion  at  the 
other  side  of  the  room,  and  we  both  turned  to  dis- 
cover the  cause.  The  czar  was  the  center  of  an 
excited  group,  and  before  him  stood  a  young  man 
whom  I  knew  by  name,  Yury  Apraxin.  A  glance 
at  Peter  showed  me  that  he  was  in  one  of  those 
sudden  and  violent  fits  of  passion  which  occa- 
sionally carried  him  beyond  the  bounds  of  rea- 
son, while  Apraxin  was  painfully  embarrassed,  but 
maintained  his  position  with  sullen  hauteur.  We 
could  not  hear  his  reply  to  Peter;  but  in  a  moment 
the  czar  struck  him  in  the  face  with  his  open 
palm,  and  would  doubtless  have  followed  the  blow 
with  some  great  indignity  if  Mentchikof  had  not 
interposed  his  person,  while  Sheremetief  hurried 
the  young  nobleman  to  the  door.  Apraxin 's  face 
was  white  with  fury  at  the  insult,  and  in  another 
instant,  but  for  Sheremetief,  he  would  have  struck 
back  at  the  czar.  The  silence  in  the  salon  was 
sudden  and  painful.  Peter  thrust  his  favorite 
aside,  and  with  a  crimson  face  shouted  to  his 
equerry  to  arrest  the  offender. 

"  I  will  have  his  head  ! "  he  cried  fiercely. 


CATHERINE  AND    THE   CZAR.  87 

From  a  scene  of  gayety  it  had  become  almost  a 
tragedy.  His  Majesty's  outbursts  of  fury  were 
often  fruitful  of  fearful  results,  and  he  was  ever 
at  his  worst  when  flushed  with  wine.  Every  face 
was  pale,  and  the  women  drew  back  with  startled 
eyes,  while  the  men"  regarded  the  czar  with  ill- 
concealed  apprehension.  The  autocrat  himself 
stood  in  the  center  of  the  apartment,  his  great 
figure  towering  over  the  others  and  his  breast 
heaving,  while  his  face  twitched  with  that  ner- 
vous affliction  which  made  his  expression  for  the 
time  terrific.  Through  the  open  door  we  could 
see  Apraxin,  struggling  in  the  arms  of  his 
friends. 

"  What  is  the  trouble  ?  "  I  asked,  in  a  whisper, 
of  a  courtier  near  me. 

He  glanced  at  me  in  a  frightened  way.  "The 
young  fool  got  into  a  dispute  with  his  Majesty 
about  the  battle  of  Narva,"  he  whispered  back, 
"praised  the  courage  of  Charles  of  Sweden,  and 
condemned  the  conduct  of  the  Russian  troops." 

I  understood.  It  was  the  weak  point  in  Peter's 
armor;  he  never  forgot  or  forgave  Narva  until  the 
victory  of  Poltava. 

In  a  moment  something  happened  which  again 
transformed  the  scene.  While  the  czar  was  still 
quivering  with  ill-suppressed  passion,  in  the 
midst  of  an  extending  circle  of  courtiers,  Cath- 
erine left  my  side  and  advanced  across  the  space. 
She  was  short,  but  she  had  a  peculiarly  majestic 


88  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

mien  in  her  sweeping  white  garments,  her  beau- 
tiful shoulders  bare  and  her  proud  head  slightly 
bent.  She  walked  straight  up  to  the  infuriated 
czar,  and  knelt  gracefully  before  him.  Peter 
stared  at  her  in  undisguised  amazement,  and  the 
others  were  transfixed ;  not  a  word  was  uttered, 
every  eye  was  turned  on  the  two  central  figures, 
the  massive  form  of  the  czar,  contrasting  with 
the  figure  of  the  woman  at  his  feet. 

"I  pray  your  Majesty's  forbearance,"  she  said, 
in  a  clear  voice  that  was  heard  the  length  of  the 
room. 

"  Rise,  Catherine, "  he  exclaimed,  in  an  embar- 
rassed tone,  his  passion  suddenly  arrested  by  her 
unlooked-for  interference. 

"Nay,  sire,"  she  replied  gently,  "I  am  a  sup- 
pliant, and  suppliants  must  kneel.  I  crave  your 
Majesty's  forgiveness  for  this  young  man  who  has 
so  unhappily  offended.  I  doubt  not  that  he  re- 
grets his  fault,  and  your  Majesty's  anger  is  too 
great  a  chastisement.  You  are  royal,  and  it  is 
royal  to  forgive ! " 

Her  gesture  and  her  glance  were  eloquent.  I 
had  never  seen  her  so  beautiful.  Her  large  eyes 
were  kindled  with  some  deep  emotion,  and  her 
face  was  pale,  while  her  white  throat  was  bare 
even  of  its  necklace  of  pearls.  The  Livonian 
peasant  girl  had  suddenly  assumed  a  dignity  that 
was  worthy  of  a  nobler  origin.  The  czar  was 
silent,  but  we,  who  knew  his  moods,  saw  that  the 


CATHERINE  AND    THE   CZAR.  89 

tempest  was  spent,  and  that  the  natural  generosity 
of  his  disposition  would  prevail ;  he  was  even  per- 
haps a  little  ashamed  of  the  vehemence  of  his  out- 
burst. Whether  she  was  sure  of  her  success  or 
not,  she  spoke  again,  and  now  there  was  a  thrill 
in  her  rich  voice. 

"Sire,"  she  said  softly,  "you  once  promised 
me  a  boon  —  I  claim  your  pledge.  Give  me  this 
boy's  pardon ;  a  king  may  not  break  his  word  ! " 

The  czar's  face  paled,  but  he  took  her  hand  and 
raised  her  to  her  feet. 

"  Have  I  ever  broken  mine  to  you,  sweetheart  ?  " 
he  said,  a  sudden  smile  dispelling  the  cloud  upon 
his  face.  "  The  youth  has  my  pardon,  but  keep 
him  out  of  my  sight  for  a  while;  I  love  not  such 
disputatious  boys." 

As  he  spoke,  he  drew  a  small  bit  of  twisted 
paper  from  his  pocket  and  laid  it  in  her  hand. 
"I  owe  you  something,  Catherine,"  he  said, 
"since  you  alone  had  the  courage  to  remind  me 
that  I  was  a  king." 

She  bowed  her  graceful  head  and  kissed  his 
hand,  and  then  the  murmur  of  talk  arose;  the 
spell  was  broken,  and  the  startled  courtiers  could 
breathe  again.  They  flocked  about  Catherine  with 
ill-concealed  admiration  of  her  prowess,  and  many 
curious  glances  were  cast  upon  the  paper  pack- 
age in  her  fingers.  To  gratify  them,  she  opened 
the  tiny  parcel,  and  smoothing  out  the  old  and 
wrinkled  wrapper  revealed  a  splendid  ruby, — a 


90  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

sign  of  favor  that  increased  her  circle  of  admir- 
ers. It  was  characteristic  of  the  czar  to  bestow  a 
superb  present  with  nonchalance,  and  to  wrap  a 
jewel  in  a  bit  of  soiled  paper.  To  me  the  scene 
was  strangely  significant;  I  had  watched  it  as  I 
would  have  watched  a  cleverly  conducted  drama. 
Who  but  this  Livonian  woman  would  have  dared 
to  achieve  that  success,  and,  after  all,  did  she 
not  stand  high  in  the  czar's  regard?  Looking 
across  the  salon,  I  saw  into  the  ante-room  be- 
yond, where  they  had  hurried  Apraxin  out  of 
sight,  and  by  the  door  stood  M.  de  Lambert; 
reading  the  expression  on  his  face,  I  divined  his 
thought.  He  was  radiant ;  he  fancied  that  Made- 
moiselle Shavronsky  had  won  the  day.  But 
I  reflected  that  the  road  of  court  intrigue  is 
tortuous,  and  that  there  are  many  turnings  be- 
fore the  end  is  in  view.  I  saw  not  only  the  satis- 
faction on  the  face  of  Mentchikof  and  his  clique, 
but  the  anger  and  anxiety  on  the  countenances  of 
Prince  Dolgoruky  and  Sheremetief  and  a  dozen 
more,  who  I  knew  had  no  toleration  for  the  favor- 
ite or  his  schemes.  Meanwhile  the  czar's  good- 
humor  had  returned,  and  he  was  boisterous  in  the 
reaction.  The  wine  was  already  affecting  several 
of  the  boyars,  two  or  three  were  foolishly  happy, 
and  a  third  was  so  belligerently  inclined  that  he 
had  to  be  forcibly  removed.  The  amount  of 
liquor  consumed  often  made  the  guests  at  these 
entertainments  violently  ill,  for  there  was  a  rivalry 


CATHERINE  AND    THE   CZAR.  91 

over  the  quantity  that  each  man  could  drink. 
When  M.  de  Lambert  and  I  retired,  the  revelry 
was  at  its  height  and  the  czar  was  perhaps 
the  only  sober  man  present,  for  Peter  could 
drink  unhurt  more  wine  than  his  most  bibulous 
courtier. 

As  M.  de  Lambert  and  I  walked  to  our  quarters 
through  the  crooked  lanes,  the  first  rosy  tint  of 
sunrise  was  spreading  like  a  blush  along  the  east- 
ern sky,  while  above  it  the  morning  star  shone 
like  a  solitary  jewel  in  the  pallid  blue.  The 
white  buildings  of  the  Kremlin  loomed  ghostlike 
through  the  mist  that  was  rising  in  a  soft  cloud 
over  the  river  Moskva;  the  city  was  as  silent  as 
a  tomb ;  the  shuttered  windows  of  the  houses 
closed  in  their  secrets,  and  the  streets  lay  in  the 
dark,  untouched  by  the  golden  shafts  of  light  that 
were  illuminating  the  horizon.  The  spell  of  mid- 
night was  upon  the  earth,  the  radiance  of  day- 
break in  the  heavens,  and  between,  a  wreath  of  mist. 

For  a  time  no  words  passed  between  us,  and 
then  M.  de  Lambert  spoke. 

"  The  youth  was  foolish,"  he  said  thoughtfully, 
"but  the  czar  was  wrong;  it  was  an  unkingly 
act" 

"  He  has  a  kingly  temper,"  I  said  lightly;  "the 
boy  escaped  easily." 

"  It  was  not  royal,"  M.  de  Lambert  went  on, 
"  and  he  lost  a  loyal  subject.  I  saw  Apraxin's 
face ;  he  will  never  forgive  it." 


92  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER, 

"  The  czar  can  afford  to  offend,"  I  replied  dryly ; 
"  royalty  is  rich  in  friends." 

"  No  man  can  afford  to  be  unjust,"  M.  de  Lam- 
bert rejoined  with  that  generosity  that  was  natural 
to  him,  for  he  had  a  noble  nature. 

"  Mademoiselle  Catherine  has  set  her  heart 
upon  the  crown,  and  she  is  clever,"  I  remarked 
softly. 

"  I  rejoiced  to  see  it,"  he  said  with  relief  in  his 
voice,  and  added  eagerly,  "  did  you  note  his  man- 
ner, monsieur?  He  was  very  tender  with  her." 

I  laughed  aloud.  "Ah,  M.  de  Lambert,"  I 
said,  "  set  not  too  great  store  by  that ;  the  royal 
heart,  we  know,  is  fickle.  Remember  Madame  de 
Montespan !  " 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  ENVOY'S   CLOAK. 

To  Ze"nai'de  I  gave  a  full  description  of  the 
scene  at  Mentchikof  s  palace,  and  she  soon  discov- 
ered the  key  to  the  matter.  The  episode  was 
much  discussed,  and  she  found  that  Yury  Apraxin 
was  an  adopted  son  of  Madame  Zotofs  brother, 
and  called  by  courtesy  a  nephew  of  the  Councillor 
Zotof.  No  blood  relationship  existed ;  madame's 
brother,  having  no  children,  had  adopted  the  son  of 
a  friend,  but  young  Apraxin  held  the  place  of  a 
nephew  in  the  Zotof  household.  Here,  then,  was 
a  complication.  Not  only  was  the  czar  offended 
at  one  of  mademoiselle's  connections,  but  how 
would  Zotof  endure  the  insult  offered  to  his 
family?  Beyond  all  this  there  was  another  tangle 
in  the  skein ;  ZenaTde  was  informed  that  young 
Apraxin  had  been  absent  in  Lithuania  and  was 
a  lover  of  Mademoiselle  Zotof,  that  her  hand 
had  been  promised  to  him,  —  one  of  those  mar- 
riage contracts  common  in  Russia,  as  in  France, 
when  a  boy  and  girl  were  betrothed  in  infancy  by 
their  parents.  At  an  inopportune  time  the  fiance" 
had  returned  to  claim  his  bride,  but  had  been 


94  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

quickly  repudiated  by  Zotof,  and  in  a  few  days  he 
discovered  the  cause  of  his  discomfiture.  Conse- 
quent jealousy  of  the  czar  led  him  to  make  the 
offensive  speech  which  had  caused  Peter's  out- 
burst. Apraxin  had  been  only  a  week  in  Mos- 
cow, and  probably  knew  nothing,  as  yet,  of  M.  de 
Lambert;  but  I  fancied  that  as  soon  as  he  learned 
the  truth,  his  jealousy  of  the  Frenchman  would  be 
more  bitter  than  that  which  had  animated  his  attack 
upon  the  czar.  So  it  was  a  wheel  within  a  wheel, 
and  it  required  my  wife's  wit  to  trace  it  all  out. 

Meanwhile  the  czar  was  apparently  wavering 
between  the  two  fair  women,  although  showing 
more  favor  to  Catherine  since  the  offence  from 
one  of  mademoiselle's  family.  It  was  whispered, 
too,  that  M.  Zotof  had  found  it  difficult  to  accept 
the  affair  at  Mentchikofs  with  toleration.  The 
open  insult  to  his  protege"  was  scarcely  repaired 
by  the  czar's  forgiveness  of  the  youth's  offence ; 
however,  the  councillor  was,  in  the  end,  too  wise 
to  quarrel  with  a  sovereign  who  might  smite  his 
adopted  nephew  with  one  hand,  and  raise  his  niece 
to  a  throne  with  the  other.  Moreover,  madame 
would  not  allow  him  to  resent  the  affront  while  she 
had  visions  of  her  niece  upon  the  throne  of  Russia, 
and  it  ended  in  Apraxin  being  left  to  nurse  his 
hatred  of  the  czar  in  secret. 

In  the  midst  of  these  intrigues  there  was  a  little 
ripple  of  excitement  at  court  over  the  arrival  of  a 
secret  envoy  from  Augustus  of  Saxony,  King  of 


THE  ENVOY'S  CLOAK.  95 

Poland.  The  envoy  had  important  despatches,  and 
came  with  great  secrecy  and  precaution,  but  in  two 
hours  his  errand  was  known  all  over  Moscow, 
so  difficult  is  it  to  keep  court  secrets.  It  was  a 
matter  of  particular  interest  to  me,  as  it  was  my 
mission  to  watch  the  Swedish-Saxon  imbroglio. 
M.  de  Lambert  and  I  were  especially  active,  and 
this  very  Polish  envoy  was,  in  a  singular  way,  the 
cause  of  an  incident  that  proved  more  or  less  im- 
portant to  M.  Guillaume.  We  had  both  gone  to 
the  Kremlin  at  a  late  hour  in  the  afternoon,  and 
I  had  an  interview  with  the  czar,  while  my  com- 
panion was  engaged  with  the  chief  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Foreign  Affairs.  As  we  were  leaving  the 
palace,  the  Polish  envoy  arrived ;  he  left  the  ante- 
room as  we  entered  it  and,  taking  up  our  cloaks, 
went  out  into  the  early  Russian  twilight.  It  was 
a  threatening  evening  and  rapidly  growing  dark. 
A  few  drops  of  rain  fell  on  our  faces  as  we  crossed 
the  square,  and  M.  de  Lambert  looked  up  at  the 
lowering  sky. 

"  More  ice  and  snow,"  he  said ;  "  how  thankful 
the  Russian  must  be  to  see  the  spring !  A  man  is 
fortunate  to  be  born  in  a  milder  climate." 

I  laughed  softly.  "  In  my  young  days,  mon- 
sieur," I  said,  "  I  remember  thinking  that  the  sun 
shone  only  in  Moscow,  and  I  thought  it  was  even 
so  with  you." 

"  My  sun  is  for  the  time  obscured  by  a  cloud, 
M.  le  Vicomte,"  he  responded  readily. 


96  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

We  had  passed  out  of  the  Gate  of  the  Redeemer, 
and  were  walking  slowly  towards  our  quarters. 
We  were  unattended,  having  left  both  Pierrot  and 
Touchet  in  Zenai'de's  service,  and  after  a  little  we 
fell  to  talking  of  the  czar  and  the  Polish  envoy, 
and  our  voices  were  lowered.  A  few  yards  from 
our  quarters,  there  was  a  long  lane  flanked  on 
either  side  by  the  blank  walls  of  vacant  court- 
yards. When  we  reached  it,  it  was  quite  dark  and 
the  rain  was  falling  fast.  We  were  near  the  end 
of  the  lane,  when  there  was  a  rush  behind  us  and 
a  man  flung  himself  upon  my  companion.  M. 
de  Lambert's  foot  slipped,  and  for  the  moment 
he  had  difficulty  in  recovering  himself  under  the 
sudden  assault,  yet  he  had  grasped  and  thrown 
his  assailant  before  I  could  interpose.  The  man 
lay  still  on  his  back  in  the  mud,  stunned  by  the 
heavy  fall.  We  both  bent  over  him  curiously,  I 
fully  expecting  to  see  Tikhon.  He  stirred  and 
made  an  effort  to  rise,  which  caused  M.  de  Lam- 
bert to  lay  a  heavy  hand  on  his  collar,  while  I 
removed  the  pistol  from  his  belt;  in  doing  so,  I 
discovered  that  it  was  not  Dolgoruky's  equerry, 
but  a  younger  and  smaller  man.  We  ordered  him 
to  rise,  and  he  obeyed  sullenly,  and  then  stood 
motionless,  an  inconvenient  prisoner. 

"What  shall  we  do  with  him?  "  M.  de  Lambert 
asked  of  me  in  French. 

"  Take  him  to  our  quarters  and  there  probe  the 
matter,"  I  said  at  once. 


THE  ENVOY'S  CLOAK1.  97 

Between  us  we  managed  to  force  the  fellow  to 
walk  along  with  us  ;  but  a  few  yards  from  my 
door,  he  made  an  effort  to  break  away,  and  only 
M.  de  Lambert's  agility  checked  him.  My  com- 
panion caught  him  in  his  arms,  and  there  was  a 
fierce  struggle  before  he  submitted  and  walked 
before  us  to  the  house,  where  Pierrot  took  him 
in  charge.  I  had  him  taken  to  an  upper  room, 
and,  calling  for  lights,  sat  down  and  looked  at  him. 
M.  de  Lambert  was  handing  his  cloak  and  sword 
to  Touchet,  when  he  uttered  an  exclamation  of 
surprise. 

"  I  have  made  some  mistake,"  he  said ;  "  this 
is  not  my  cloak." 

Looking  around,  I  saw  Touchet  holding  up  a 
dark  brown  velvet  cloak  with  an  enamelled  clasp. 

"  I  must  have  picked  up  the  wrong  one  in  the 
ante-room,"  M.  de  Lambert  remarked  in  an  an- 
noyed tone. 

I  had  been  examining  the  garment,  and  all  at 
once  recognized  it. 

"  It  is  the  Polish  envoy's,"  I  said ;  "  I  noticed 
the  clasp." 

"  Ah,  to  be  sure,"  replied  M.  de  Lambert.  "  I 
remember  that  he  laid  his  cloak  aside  just  before 
I  assumed  mine.  I  have  not  profited  by  the  ex- 
change. Take  it  back  to  the  Kremlin,  Touchet, 
and  bring  me  mine." 

While  he  spoke,  I  saw  a  sudden  flash  of  intel- 
ligence in  the  prisoner's  expression  which  con- 

7 


98  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

vinced  me  that  he  took  a  curious  interest  in  the 
cloak.  He  was  a  short  man,  slight  but  well  formed, 
with  a  broad  stolid  face,  and  his  hair  and  complex- 
ion were  light,  his  eyes  being  pale  blue.  His  gar- 
ments, although  plain,  were  not  poor,  and  he  had 
nothing  of  the  appearance  of  a  common  cut-purse, 
neither  did  he  look  a  Russian.  A  sudden  inspira- 
tion coming  to  me,  I  took  the  opportunity  when 
his  attention  was  riveted  upon  M.  de  Lambert  to 
address  him  abruptly  in  Swedish,  with  which 
language  I  was  imperfectly  acquainted. 

"  How  long  is  it,"  I  said,  "  since  you  left 
Sweden?" 

"  Not  two  months,"  he  answered  mechanically, 
and  then,  realizing  that  he  had  betrayed  himself, 
stood  staring  at  me  like  a  trapped  tiger,  while  I 
laughed.  He  had  fallen  so  easily  into  my 
snare. 

M.  de  Lambert  and  Touchet  both  turned  at  the 
sound  of  our  voices ;  the  former  understood  the 
Swedish  tongue  more  perfectly  than  I  did. 

"I  have  it,"  he  exclaimed,  "he  mistook  me  for 
the  Polish  envoy ;  it  was  my  cloak  that  he  seized 
first." 

"  Ay,"  I  replied  significantly,  "  the  envoy  had 
papers.  We  have  here  a  pretty  bird." 

The  fellow  eyed  me  sullenly,  the  color  rising  to 
his  fair  hair.  The  more  I  examined  his  face  the 
more  satisfied  I  became  that  he  was  no  common 
miscreant,  and  his  evident  youth  appealed  to  me. 


THE  ENVOY'S  CLOAK.  99 

Touchet  had  departed  with  the  envoy's  cloak,  and 
M.  de  Lambert  sat  down  beside  me  at  the  table, 
shading  the  taper  so  that  he  threw  the  light  full 
on  the  face  of  the  Swede. 

"  What  was  the  motive  of  your  attack  on  a 
Frenchman,  knave?"  he  asked,  addressing  the 
prisoner. 

The  man  looked  at  him  strangely  for  a  mo- 
ment, and  then  seemed  to  come  to  a  sudden 
determination. 

"  I  made  a  mistake,  your  Worship,"  he  replied 
hoarsely.  "  I  pray  you,  pardon  me  and  let  me  go. 
I  took  you  for  an  enemy  of  mine." 

"A  likely  story,"  said  M.  de  Lambert;  "why 
should  I  not  rather  believe  you  a  common  thief? 
You  tried  to  drag  my  cloak  from  my  shoulders, 
and  wellnigh  strangled  me  to  boot." 

"I  made  a  mistake,"  the  man  protested  stolidly. 

"  You  made  a  mistake  only  in  the  person,"  I  re- 
marked dryly,  "  you  intended  either  to  rob  or  stab 
someone — you  admit  that.  Why  should  we  let 
you  go?  " 

"  We  ought  rather  to  turn  him  over  to  the 
authorities  at  Preobrazhensky,"  M.  de  Lambert 
said  quietly. 

Now,  the  secret  Chancery  of  Preobrazhensky 
had  borne  an  evil  name  since  it  had  been  the  scene 
of  the  tortures  and  executions  of  the  Streltsi, 
when  Peter  summoned  those  stubborn  rebels  to  a 
bloody  judgment,  and  it  was  a  common  byword 


IOO  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

of  horror  to  the  Russian  miscreant.  At  the 
mention  of  it,  the  Swede  started  and  his  face 
paled  perceptibly.  I  was  watching  him  keenly, 
and  was  quick  to  see  the  signs  of  weakening, 

"  Call  Pierrot,"  I  said  to  my  companion,  "  and 
send  him  for  the  captain  of  the  guard." 

At  that  the  prisoner  broke  down.  He  made  an 
effort  to  speak,  but  only  his  lips  moved  at  first, 
then  he  came  nearer  to  the  table. 

"  Gentlemen,"  he  said  excitedly,  "  you  are 
Frenchmen.  King  Louis  has  no  quarrel  with 
the  king  my  master;  he  even  offered  mediation 
at  one  time  between  him  and  King  Augus- 
tus. I  pray  you,  deal  leniently  with  a  Swedish 
subject.  It  is  true  that  I  mistook  his  Excel- 
lency for  the  Polish  envoy ;  it  is  true  that  I  tried 
to  snatch  the  cloak,  which  I  believe  concealed 
valuable  papers  ;  but  what  of  it?  I  was  trying  to 
serve  the  king.  If  you  deliver  me  up  to  the 
Russians,  I  shall  be  hung  as  a  spy,  or  perhaps 
tortured  to  death.  I  appeal  to  you  as  subjects  of 
the  King  of  France  to  spare  me  for  the  sake  of 
Charles  of  Sweden,  whose  servant  I  am." 

M.  de  Lambert  and  I  looked  at  each  other. 
Here  was  a  situation.  We  had  unwittingly  cap- 
tured a  Swedish  spy.  If  the  czar  discovered  it,  we 
should  be  called  to  a  sharp  account,  for  Peter  was 
not  delicate  in  his  understanding  of  diplomatic 
relations.  On  the  other  hand,  neither  of  us  cared 
to  play  the  bloodhound  for  Russia  or  to  sow  the 


THE  ENVOY'S  CLOAK.  IOI 

seeds  of  greater  discord  between  Sweden  and 
France.  Charles  XII.  himself  could  scarcely 
have  been  a  more  troublesome  or  unwelcome 
prisoner.  I  knew  from  the  expression  of  M.  de 
Lambert's  face  that  he  regretted  his  own  skill  in 
capturing  the  Swede.  But  the  fact  that  we  had 
him  was  palpable  enough,  and  what  should  we  do 
with  him?  He  was  scanning  our  perplexed  faces 
with  an  anxious  eye.  I  turned  on  him  sternly. 

"  Young  man,"  I  said,  "  you  admit  that  you  are 
a  Swedish  spy  and  that  you  intended  a  mischief  to 
the  person  of  the  Polish  envoy.  How  dare  you 
appeal  to  French  gentlemen  for  protection  from 
your  just  fate?  We  have  no  authority  to  save 
you  from  the  Russians.  This  is  Moscow,  not 
Paris.  Why  should  we  interpose  at  the  expense 
of  our  country  to  save  a  miscreant  from  the 
gallows?" 

He  had  listened  to  me  in  silence,  but  a  strange 
change  came  over  his  face ;  it  was  no  longer  stolid, 
but  quivered  with  emotion.  He  did  not  appear 
like  a  coward  at  first,  yet  now  he  was  showing 
every  sign  of  trepidation.  When  I  finished  speak- 
ing, he  looked  at  me  with  a  haggard  face. 

"  You  will  give  me  up,  then?  "  he  exclaimed  in 
a  low  voice. 

"Why  not?  "I  asked  coolly,  leaning  back  in 
my  chair,  and  shading  my  face  with  my  hand  that 
he  might  not  see  my  perplexity ;  "  why  should  I 
save  a  criminal?  " 


IO2  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

"  And  I  shall  die  that  shameful  death,"  he 
groaned.  "  My  poor  mother  !  " 

I  could  see  by  M.  de  Lambert's  face  that  he  was 
weakening.  He  was  a  gallant  soldier,  but  he  had 
the  softest  heart  I  ever  knew  save  in  woman.  At 
the  first  sign  of  the  fellow's  distress  he  began  to 
waver,  and  cast  reproachful  glances  at  me  as  I  spoke 
sternly  and  sharply. 

"What  is  your  name?"  he  asked,  abruptly  ad- 
dressing the  prisoner. 

The  Swede's  cheeks  burned  with  shame,  but  he 
seemed  to  derive  some  comfort  from  the  expres- 
sion of  M.  de  Lambert's  frank  face. 

"My  name  is  Gustavus  Lenk,"  he  said  slowly; 
"  a  poor  Swedish  gentleman  of  the  king's  house- 
hold. My  record  has  been  honorable,  but  now 
they  will  hang  me  like  a  common  spy." 

He  covered  his  face  with  his  hands,  and  broke 
down  in  unmanly  grief.  M.  de  Lambert  plucked 
my  sleeve,  making  a  mute  appeal  to  me  for  mercy, 
but  I  shook  my  head  and  answered  him  in  low 
tones  in  French. 

"We  cannot  take  the  responsibility,"  I  said. 
"  We  are  in  the  service  of  the  King  of  France,  we 
must  do  our  duty." 

"  I  know  it,"  he  replied  ;  "  but  this  is  a  poor 
fellow,  and  you  know  what  Russian  justice  is, 
monsieur." 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders.  "  It  is  but  a  chance 
of  war,"  I  said  calmly;  "  a  man  coming  on  such  an 


THE   ENVOY'S  CLOAK.  1 03 

errand  takes  his  life  in  his  hand.  I  confess  I 
should  pity  him  more  if  he  showed  himself  more 
of  a  man.  He  is  too  womanish." 

"  He  is  young,"  M.  de  Lambert  rejoined  pitifully, 
"  and  they  will  torture  him.  I  know  that  Madame 
de  Brousson  would  intercede  for  him  ;  she  —  " 

"  Saint  Denis  !  "  I  exclaimed  sharply,  "  do  not 
tell  her.  This  is  no  case  for  a  woman !  " 

The  Swede  had  recovered  his  composure  and 
was  watching  us.  I  read  his  face,  and  saw  that  he 
knew  that  M.  de  Lambert  was  pleading  for  him ; 
hope  was  kindling  in  his  eyes.  I  pitied  him  my- 
self more  than  I  chose  to  admit;  he  looked  but  a 
boy,  and  I  knew  only  too  well  the  truth  of  M.  de 
Lambert's  plea. 

"  Young  man,"  I  said  harshly,  "  you  will  be  shut 
up  in  this  house  for  an  hour  or  so  while  we  delib- 
erate, but  prepare  yourself  for  the  worst.  M.  de 
Lambert,"  I  added,  "  let  Pierrot  take  him  to  the 
west  room  and  guard  the  door." 

M.  de  Lambert  looked  at  me  a  moment,  as  if 
endeavoring  to  read  my  thoughts,  and  then  went 
himself  with  the  prisoner,  who  submitted  without  a 
word,  a  look  of  dull  despair  on  his  face.  I  heard 
them  walk  across  the  hall,  heard  the  thud  of  the 
bar  in  its  sockets  as  M.  de  Lambert  secured  the 
door.  Then  I  heard  him  summon  Pierrot  to  go 
on  duty  at  the  door.  After  a  moment  he  came 
back  and  sat  down  at  the  table.  I  had  extinguished 
two  of  the  tapers,  but  the  light  of  the  remaining 


IO4  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

one  fell  on  his  face,  which  was  still  anxious.     We 
looked  straight  into  each  other's  eyes. 

"  It  was  the  only  way,"  I  said,  after  a  moment, 
smiling  in  spite  of  myself. 

"  He  is  extremely  dull,"  M.  de  Lambert  replied 
thoughtfully,  "  and  half  stupefied  with  terror." 

"But,  monsieur,"  I  said  dryly,  "the  window  is 
unbarred." 

Guillaume's  face  lighted.  "  Then  surely  it  will 
dawn  upon  his  intelligence,"  he  exclaimed  with 
relief. 

"  It  is  an  awkward  situation,"  I  returned,  "  and 
if  he  is  the  blockhead  I  think  him,  he  may  not 
look  for  an  escape." 

"  Or  Touchet  or  Pierrot  may  recapture  him," 
suggested  my  companion,  uneasily. 

"  Pierrot  is  no  such  fool,"  I  said,  smiling, 
"  Touchet  might  blunder,  but  not  the  other  old  fox." 

Nevertheless,  we  sat  there  above  an  hour  in 
some  suspense,  and  then  Pierrot  came  to  the  door. 
His  manner  was  perfect. 

"  M.  le  Marechal,"  he  cried,  "  shall  I  alarm  the 
guard?  The  prisoner  has  escaped  !  " 

"  How  and  when?  "  I  exclaimed  sharply,  playing 
my  part;  but  M.  de  Lambert's  honest  face  flamed. 

"Through  the  window,  monsieur,"  said  Pierrot; 
"  the  shutters  are  broken  open.  He  must  have 
been  gone  some  time,  for  Touchet  relieved  me  at 
the  door,  and  says  he  had  heard  no  noise  since  he 
was  there." 


THE  ENVOY'S  CLOAK. 


105 


"Then  pursuit  is  useless,"  I  said  calmly;  "you 
may  secure  the  house  and  retire,  Pierrot  We 
must  avoid  the  west  room  as  a  prison ;  see  that 
the  shutters  are  barred." 

"  Very  well,  your  Excellency,"  he  said,  and 
moved  away  with  his  usual  unruffled  countenance. 

M.  Guillaume  drew  a  breath  of  relief,  and  I 
laughed. 

"  Not  such  a  dullard  as  we  thought,"  I  said,  "  and 
we  have  escaped  more  easily  than  I  hoped." 

"What  will  become  of  the  Polish  envoy?  "he 
asked  after  a  moment. 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders.  "  He  must  protect 
himself,"  I  said  dryly;  "  and  as  for  you,  monsieur, 
be  careful  to  wear  your  own  cloak  in  the  future." 

"  It  is  a  dangerous  thing  to  wear  another  man's 
in  Russia,  it  appears,"  he  replied  with  a  smile. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

A  MEDDLESOME  COUSIN. 

SINCE  the  first  meeting  with  mademoiselle  be- 
fore the  Tower  of  Ivan  Veliki,  M.  de  Lambert  had 
found  it  convenient  to  pass  in  that  direction  at  a 
certain  hour  every  afternoon.  Mademoiselle  did 
not  appear  so  frequently,  but  Madame  de  Brous- 
son  and  I  knew  the  days  on  which  he  was  fortu- 
nate by  his  high  good-humor;  and  the  rest  of  the 
week  we  had  cause  enough  to  regret  Najine's 
caprice,  since  his  mood  was  usually  gloomy,  and 
he  found  endless  fault  with  Touchet,  who  was  his 
particular  attendant.  But  one  evening  he  came  in 
from  the  Kremlin,  having  seen  mademoiselle,  but 
still  being  in  so  terrible  a  temper  that  I  divined  at 
once  that  something  was  wrong.  He  ate  little  at 
supper,  and  it  evidently  cost  him  an  effort  to  re- 
spond to  Zena'fde's  pleasantry.  She  made  covert 
signs  to  me  to  observe  him,  and  soon  slipped  out 
of  the  room  to  give  me  an  opportunity  to  sound 
him.  When  we  were  alone,  I  rallied  him  on  his 
gloomy  mood. 

"You  were  fortunate  to-day,  I  know,"  I  said 
lightly ;  "  you  saw  mademoiselle,  yet  you  have 


A   MEDDLESOME   COUSIN.  1 07 

been  but  an  owl  at  my  feast.  Forsooth,  when  I 
was  of  your  age,  I  had  a  lighter  heart." 

He  looked  at  me  gravely.  "  I  have  had*  heavy 
tidings,"  he  said ;  "  mademoiselle  had  some  in- 
formation to-day.  The  intrigues  of  Catherine 
Shavronsky  are  in  vain.  The  czar  has  spoken 
openly  to  the  Councillor  Zotof." 

I  started ;  here  indeed  was  a  climax.  Since  the 
scene  at  Mentchikof's,  I  had  hung  high  hopes 
on  the  Livonian  girl ;  but  if  the  czar  was  seriously 
considering  a  marriage  with  mademoiselle,  all  my 
schemes  dissolved  in  air. 

"  Did  she  give  you  the  particulars?  "  I  asked. 

"  All  that  she  knew,"  he  replied  moodily. 
"  Madame  told  her  that  she  must  prepare  to  ac- 
cept the  formal  proposals  of  the  czar,  as  he  had 
already  spoken  of  it  to  Zotof.  When  Najine  pro- 
tested that  she  would  not  listen  to  him,  madame 
became  violent  and  screamed  with  passion,  threat- 
ening her  with  confinement  and  I  know  not  what. 
Before  she  shall  be  coerced,"  he  touched  his 
sword,  "  I  will  settle  the  account  with  her  uncle." 

I  looked  at  his  haughty  face  with  secret  admira- 
tion, but  I  laughed. 

"  You  are  a  young  fool,"  I  said  dryly.  "  Zotof 
is  only  doing  what  he  thinks  is  best  for  his  niece ; 
it  would  be  a  mistake  to  chastise  him.  If  you 
bagged  madame,  I  should  congratulate  you  with  all 
my  heart,  for  she  has  the  tongue  of  a  vixen.  Her 
husband  is  following  his  lights.  After  all,  you 


108  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

make  a  great  evil  out  of  what  would  seem  to  many 
the  climax  of  a  noble  maid's  ambition,  —  to  ascend 
a  throne." 

I  could  not  forbear  tormenting  him  a  little,  and 
he  fretted  under  it,  his  blood  rising  to  his  hair. 

"  The  czar  is  personally  unacceptable  to  made- 
moiselle," he  said  proudly. 

I  laughed.  "  Come,  come,  M.  de  Lambert,"  I 
said  lightly,  "  if  you  were  out  of  the  way,  would 
the  czar  be  unacceptable?  A  gallant  soldier,  a 
generous  foe,  a  warm-hearted  despot,  and,  above 
all,  a  man  of  imperial  presence.  Kings  are 
usually  fortunate  wooers  ;  we  know  of  one,  at 
least,  who  has  been  ever  so.  Are  you  not  stand- 
ing in  mademoiselle's  light?  Ought  you  not 
rather  to  retire  generously  and  behold  her  Czarina 
and  Grand  Duchess  of  all  the  Russias?  M.  Guil- 
laume,  you  are  selfish." 

He  sprang  to  his  feet  with  a  passionate  gesture, 
his  fine  face  flushed  and  his  brown  eyes  kindling; 
as  he  confronted  me,  I  thought  that  I  had  never 
seen  a  better  picture  of  a  soldier  and  a  lover. 

"  M.  le  Vicomte,"  he  said, "  I  love  mademoiselle 
well  enough  to  be  generous.  If  I  thought  she 
desired  the  throne,  I  would  withdraw,  but  she 
assures  me  that  she  dreads  the  violence  and  the 
passion  of  the  czar;  she  has  no  wish  to  take 
the  place  of  the  wife  whom  he  has  divorced.  In 
thinking  of  the  crown,  she  remembers  a  poor  dis- 
honored woman,  in  an  open  postcart,  going  to 


A   MEDDLESOME  COUSIN.  109 

hide  her  uncrowned  head  behind  a  convent's  walls. 
And,"  he  added,  looking  at  me  proudly,  "  made- 
moiselle loves  me." 

I  bowed  my  head.  "  Mademoiselle's  will  is 
law,"  I  said  at  once ;  "  you  have  my  congratula- 
tions, monsieur.  When  a  woman  prefers  you  to  a 
czar,  you  may  consider  yourself  a  fortunate  man. 
I  honor  her  for  her  constancy." 

"  She  is  an  angel,"  he  replied  briefly,  as  he 
walked  to  and  fro,  —  his  habit  when  excited. 

"Are  you  not  over-anxious,"  I  remarked,  after 
a  little  thought.  "  Has  not  madame  pushed  matters, 
to  alarm  and  intimidate  mademoiselle?  Mayhap, 
there  is  more  smoke  than  fire.  I  thought  that  I 
saw  signs  of  great  favor  for  the  Livonian  girl." 

Without  a  word  he  walked  to  the  table,  and, 
thrusting  his  hand  into  his  breast,  brought  out  a 
packet,  and  laid  a  splendid  ring  in  my  hand.  I 
recognized  it  at  once,  for  it  bore  the  double-headed 
eagle.  Turning  it  over  in  my  palm,  I  glanced  at 
him  interrogatively. 

"Madame  brought  it  to  mademoiselle  as  a  pres- 
ent from  the  czar,"  he  said  significantly. 

I  looked  at  it  again  and  smiled.  "And  made- 
moiselle brought  it  to  you,"  I  remarked.  "A 
dangerous  thing  to  possess,  monsieur." 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "As  safe  for  me 
as  for  her,"  he  said. 

"Perilous  for  both,"  I  replied.  "Let  me  bor- 
row it  for  a  while,"  I  added,  after  a  moment,  a 


1 10  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

sudden  thought  having  suggested  a  new  course  of 
action. 

"Keep  it,"  he  said  indifferently.  "Mademoi- 
selle was  anxious  to  be  rid  of  it,  and  I  promised  to 
lose  it  for  her  in  the  river." 

"  It  would  have  been  wiser  to  have  kept  the 
promise,  monsieur,"  I  remarked.  "The  czar's 
ring  is  an  evil  ornament  for  a  foreigner,  and  evil 
indeed  for  you;  so  I  will  even  take  it  into  my  own 
custody  for  the  time." 

"I  care  not,"  he  rejoined  indifferently;  "do 
with  it  as  you  will.  I  am  determined  only  to 
rescue  mademoiselle,  if  I  have  to  carry  her  off  by 
force." 

"Is  she  willing  to  submit  to  your  guidance?" 
I  asked  quietly.  "As  a  rule,  the  Russian  maiden 
is  too  strictly  trained  to  contemplate  a  stolen  mar- 
riage, especially  under  such  peculiar  conditions." 

"That  is  the  trouble,"  he  replied  gloomily; 
"she  is  full  of  doubts  and  hesitations.  She  fears 
for  me  and  for  herself.  There  are  a  hundred  ob- 
stacles, and  yet  is  she  a  brave  woman  and  a  true. " 

"I  doubt  it  not,  monsieur,"  I  replied  gravely, 
"but  you  would  marry  her  at  the  risk  of  your  life. 
You  remember  the  scene  at  Mentchikof's?  That 
was  caused  by  a  trivial  incident.  The  czar  has 
violent  moods,  and  it  would  rouse  him  to  fury 
to  be  thwarted  in  this  matter.  We  are  treading 
on  dangerous  ground,  and  it  behooves  us  to  be 
careful." 


A   MEDDLESOME    COUSIN.  Ill 

"I  count  the  danger  of  small  consequence,"  he 
said  calmly;  and  I  knew  that  his  absolute  fear- 
lessness was  as  likely  to  be  disastrous  as  his 
impetuosity. 

"The  risk  must,  however,  be  considered  on 
mademoiselle's  behalf,"  I  warned  him;  and  he 
acquiesced. 

I  looked  again  at  the  ring,  and  then,  wrapping 
it  carefully,  put  it  in  my  pocket,  for  I  had  a  pur- 
pose in  regard  to  it.  The  czar  was  liberal  with 
his  tokens,  it  seemed. 

"  I  marvel  what  he  has  done  with  his  portrait, 
framed  in  diamoads,  which  he  took  away  from 
Anna  Mons,"  I  said  to  myself,  and  then  laughed 
aloud,  although  M.  de  Lambert  did  not  understand 
the  drift  of  my  thoughts,  and  was  piqued  at  my 
boisterous  merriment.  But  I  could  not  forbear;  it 
was  too  absurd.  Would  mademoiselle  fall  heir  to 
the  picture  that  had  belonged  to  Anna  Mons  — 
and  also  to  Eudoxia's  crown?  How  happy  is  the 
woman  whose  destiny  depends  upon  the  caprice 
of  a  tyrant! 

An  hour  later,  I  summoned  Pierrot,  and,  cover- 
ing my  figure  with  a  dark  cloak,  made  my  way  on 
foot  to  the  palace  of  Mentchikof.  The  night  was 
dark,  for  the  young  moon  gave  no  light  and  there 
was  a  cold  wind  blowing  that  cut  my  face,  and 
Pierrot  and  I  both  walked  with  our  heads  bent  to 
avoid  it.  Entering  the  courtyard,  I  passed  around 
to  the  side  of  the  house,  where  a  short  flight  of 


112  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER, 

stone  steps  built  in  the  wall  led  to  a  private 
door  where  only  a  few  favored  guests  were  ad- 
mitted. A  porter  answered  my  summons  and  held 
up  his  light  to  examine  us,  while  yawning  pro- 
digiously, as  if  he  had  been  asleep  at  his  post.  I 
sent  a  message  desiring  to  see  Mademoiselle 
Shavronsky.  He  left  me  waiting  in  an  ante-room, 
and  was  some  time  absent,  returning  at  last  to 
conduct  me  through  a  long  corridor  into  a  suite  of 
apartments  that  I  had  never  seen.  I  expected  to 
be  received  by  the  family  or  by  Madame  Golovin, 
at  least,  but  was  surprised  to  be  ushered  into  a 
large  room  where  I  found  only  Catherine  herself 
and  a  young  Russian  attendant,  who  sat  in  a  cor- 
ner over  her  embroidery,  never  once  raising  her 
eyes  from  her  work.  When  I  entered,  Catherine 
was  half  reclining  on  an  ottoman  that  was  covered 
with  a  rug  of  sable,  but  at  my  appearance  she 
rose,  and  greeted  me  with  a  manner  at  once  frank 
and  dignified.  In  spite  of  her  short  stature,  there 
was  majesty  in  her  bearing,  and  she  had  never 
looked  more  handsome,  although  her  attire  was 
simple,  and  she  wore  no  jewel,  .not  even  in  her 
hair,  which  was  rolled  back  from  her  brow  after 
the  fashion  affected  by  the  ladies  of  the  French 
court.  This  Livonian  peasant  girl  was,  after  all, 
a  singular  character;  she  had  the  intrepid  cour- 
age and  the  unflinching  purpose  of  a  man,  together 
with  the  charm  of  a  woman. 

She  was  the  first  to  speak.     "This  is,  indeed, 


A   MEDDLESOME    COUSIN.  113 

an  honor,  M.  le  Mare'chal,"  she  said  pleasantly, 
"and  if  I  mistake  not,  you  have  tidings  for 
me." 

I  looked  at  her  and  smiled.  If  it  pleased  her 
to  be  direct,  why  should  I  not  humor  her? 

"Mademoiselle,"  I  said,  "  I  am  a  seeker  after 
information.  Mentchikof  stands  so  near  the  per- 
son of  his  imperial  Majesty  that  I  felt  that  in  this 
household  I  should  learn  the  truth.  I  have  heard 
that  the  czar  is  soon  to  wed  again." 

She  started  violently,  the  color  leaving  her 
face. 

"  Your  authority,  sir?"  she  exclaimed  sharply. 

Watching  her,  I  drew  the  ring  out  and  laid  it 
on  my  palm.  She  took  a  step  nearer,  and  stood 
looking  at  the  bauble,  and  I  saw  her  breath  come 
quickly  and  her  eyes  dilate.  We  were  both 
silent;  after  a  moment  she  looked  up  into  my 
face. 

"  Whence  came  it  ?  "  she  asked  in  a  low  voice. 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders  and  laughed. 

"  Mademoiselle,  you  press  me  too  closely  with 
questions,"  I  said  quietly,  "but  you  know  the 
ring?" 

She  put  out  her  hand  to  take  it,  but  I  evaded 
her. 

"Give  it  to  me,  M.  le  Marechal,"  she  said  pet- 
ulantly; "lend  it  to  me,  if  only  for  a  day." 

"No,  no,  mademoiselle,"  I  said  lightly.  "It 
was  only  lent  to  me.  I  cannot  take  the  risk. " 

8 


114  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

She  looked  at  me  like  a  wilful  child,  but  I  saw 
the  tigress  gleaming  in  her  eyes. 

"I  beg  it  of  you,  monsieur,"  she  said  passion- 
ately, "I  —  who  never  sue  for  favors.  I  pray  you 
give  me  this  ring  for  a  day,  for  an  hour. " 

"Not  for  a  moment,  mademoiselle,"  I  replied, 
returning  it  to  my  breast.  "  I  have  been  your 
friend  to-night,  but  I  cannot  give  you  this.  I 
must  remember  the  person  who  gave  it  to  me." 

"She  cannot  value  it,"  Catherine  exclaimed. 

I  looked  at  her  calmly.  "He,  mademoiselle," 
I  said  quietly;  "you  confound  the  sex." 

She  gazed  at  me  a  moment  in  amazement,  and 
then  a  sudden  intelligence  illumined  her  eyes. 
She  knew  that  Mademoiselle  Zotof  had  given  it 
to  M.  de  Lambert. 

"Tell  him,"  she  said  with  emphasis,  "to  be 
loyal  in  his  devotion,  and  happiness  will  crown 
it." 

"Mademoiselle,"  I  responded  gallantly,  "I 
know  of  no  one  who  deserves  it  more  than  you, 
and  I  count  myself  fortunate  to  be  your  friend." 

She  gave  me  a  peculiar  glance,  and  stood  trying 
to  devise  some  way  to  obtain  her  wish. 

"  Let  me  look  at  the  ring  once  more,  then,"  she 
coaxed,  changing  from  angry  demands  to  a  pretty 
persuasion  that  did  not  suit  her  passionate  face 
so  well. 

I  let  her  look  at  the  ring,  and  then  had  much 
ado  to  keep  it  from  her  covetous  fingers.  She 


A   MEDDLESOME    COUSIN.  115 

was  eager  enough  to  snatch  it  if  I  was  but  an 
instant  off  my  guard,  and  she  began,  too,  to  be 
piqued  at  my  obstinacy,  so  that  I  saw  that  I  was 
in  a  delicate  place  and  half  regretted  my  manoeu- 
vre. Putting  her  off  and  arguing  with  her,  I 
managed  to  evade  her;  but  I  found  it  expedient 
to  withdraw  as  speedily  as  possible,  foreseeing 
only  endless  contention,  for  she  had  the  kind  of 
persistence  that  achieves  success. 

I  was  glad  enough  to  be  in  the  open  air  again, 
and  quickened  my  pace  as  I  crossed  the  court.  I 
had  warned  Catherine,  and  I  did  not  doubt  her 
activity.  After  all,  she  was  much  better  suited 
to  the  czar's  temper  than  a  woman  like  Najine 
Zotof.  When  mademoiselle  would  not  under- 
stand him,  and  would  shrink  from  his  violent 
moods,  this  Livonian  girl  would  be  full  of  sym- 
pathy for  his  ambitions,  and  unrevolted  by  the 
coarser  aspect  of  his  nature.  I  could  see  that  she 
had  a  feline  temperament,  full  of  passion  and  in- 
trigue, and  that  she  was  not  scrupulous  as  to  the 
means  by  which  she  could  further  her  ends.  My 
mind  was  so  full  of  these  thoughts  that  I  almost 
stumbled  upon  a  man  at  the  gate  of  the  court. 
As  I  apologized,  he  recognized  me. 

"A  word  with  you,  monsieur,"  he  said,  in  bad 
French. 

I  was,  at  first,  perplexed;  then  something  in  his 
figure  suggested  a  memory,  and  I  knew  him.  It 
was  Yury  Apraxin. 


U6  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

"I  am  at  your  service,  monsieur,"  I  said,  not  a 
little  surprised. 

"By  your  leave,  then,"  he  replied,  "I  will  walk 
with  you  to  the  end  of  the  street. " 

"As  you  will,  M.  Apraxin,"  I  said. 

He  turned  and  accompanied  me  along  the  nar- 
row way.  He  was  a  stranger,  and  I  was  curious 
to  know  what  he  wanted  from  me.  For  a  few 
moments  he  was  silent,  and  we  could  hear  Pier- 
rot's even  tread  close  behind  us,  which  made  me 
smile,  for  I  knew  that  he  was  on  the  watch. 

"M.  de  Brousson,"  Apraxin  said  at  last,  "I  am 
a  relative  of  Mademoiselle  Zotof,  and,  as  such,  I 
desire  to  warn  you  to  restrain  your  friend  M.  de 
Lambert  from  persecuting  her." 

"Persecuting  mademoiselle!"  I  exclaimed  with 
unfeigned  astonishment. 

"Those  were  my  words,  sir,"  he  replied  haugh- 
tily. "  I  pray  you  tell  M.  de  Lambert  that  he 
cannot  dog  mademoiselle's  footsteps  to  and  from 
church  unobserved,  and  that  if  the  Councillor 
Zotof  does  not  interfere,  he  will  have  to  account 
to  me. " 

"You  take  a  high  tone,  monsieur,"  I  said 
tauntingly,  for  the  boy's  insolence  annoyed  me, 
"  but  you  forget  that  a  French  gentleman  is  not 
likely  to  submit  to  the  dictation  of  a  sulky 
lad." 

"Your  gray  hairs  should  be  respected,  M.  de 
Brousson,"  he  said  in  a  choked  voice,  for  he  was 


A   MEDDLESOME    COUSIN.  \\J 

furious,  "but  it  is  unnecessary  to  insult  me.  I 
have  a  right  to  protect  ray  fiancee,  and  I  will.  No 
French  coxcomb  shall  pursue  her  here  against  her 
guardian's  wishes." 

"And  yours,  monsieur,"  I  added  dryly.  "You 
are  a  young  man,  M.  Apraxin ;  be  advised,  and 
meddle  not  too  much  with  one  of  the  most  expert 
swordsmen  that  I  know." 

We  had  reached  the  turning  of  the  street  and 
he  stopped.  I  knew,  even  in  the  darkness,  that 
he  could  ill  suppress  his  rage. 

"You  think  me  a  coward,  sir,"  he  cried  fiercely, 
"  because  I  did  not  strike  back  at  the  czar,  but  you 
mistake  me.  That  insult  burnt  through  my  face 
to  my  soul,  and  I  will  not  endure  such  from  a 
lesser  man.  '  An  expert  swordsman, '  "  he  added 
with  an  oath.  "  I  care  as  little  for  his  sword  as  I 
do  for  a  straw.  I  have  given  him  a  fair  warning. 
Najine  is  betrothed  to  me,  and  I  will  brook  no 
interference. with  my  affairs." 

"  Rumor  supplies  another  destiny  for  mademoi- 
selle," I  said,  unable  to  suppress  a  desire  to  lash 
the  ill-tempered  fool  to  fury. 

"Rumor  lies!"  he  answered  with  fierce  em- 
phasis. "  She  is  to  be  my  wife,  and  no  one  else 
shall  wed  her. " 

"I  trust  that  mademoiselle  is  of  your  mind,"  I 
replied,  turning  away  with  feigned  indifference, 
"otherwise  I  fear  she  will  think  you  but  a  sullen 
bridegroom.  I  wish  you  good-night,  monsieur;  a 


Il8  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

good  rest  will  clear  your  brain  of  many  of  these 
hallucinations.  Take  a  sleeping  potion  and  seek 
your  couch." 

I  heard  him  muttering  some  passionate  reply, 
but  passed  on  unheeding,  although  secretly  dis- 
turbed, for  here  was  a  new  difficulty  for  Guillaume 
de  Lambert.  An  ill-tempered  boy  spying  upon 
him  was  enough  evil  to  make  his  interviews  with 
mademoiselle  a  source  of  anxiety  to  me.  More- 
over, I  foresaw  that  they  would  speedily  cease, 
since  it  was  improbable  that  Apraxin  would  fail 
to  use  the  simplest  means  to  end  them,  by  in- 
forming her  uncle;  and,  once  mademoiselle  was 
confined  to  the  house,  communication  would  be 
difficult  in  the  extreme.  Yet  I  smiled  a  little 
over  the  situation ;  what  a  trio  of  lovers  had  made- 
moiselle !  A  czar,  a  French  soldier,  and  a  violent- 
tempered  boy,  whose  face  had  been  slapped  by  his 
imperial  rival.  What  would  be  next  ? 

And,  on  the  other  hand,  the  women.  Catherine 
rose  before  my  mental  vision,  a  distinct  and  re- 
markable figure;  her  fate  could  be  no  common 
one ;  natures  cast  in  that  mould  must  achieve  the 
highest  or  fall  to  the  lowest.  By  contrast,  I  saw 
mademoiselle,  delicately  formed,  but  stately,  high- 
spirited,  charming,  with  that  fine  quality  of  soul 
that  spurns  the  mire,  that  is  free  from  vulgar 
ambition,  noble,  generous,  and  before  all  tenderly 
affectionate,  not  formed  of  the  stuff  that  makes 
an  empress,  and  yet  imperial  enough,  in  her  young 


A    MEDDLESOME    COUSIN. 

beauty  and  purity,  to  adorn  the  most  brilliant 
court  in  Europe.  What  a  strange  tangle  in  the 
skein  of  destiny  had  brought  these  heterogene- 
ous characters  together,  and  caught  them  in  the 
meshes  of  the  glittering  net  of  court  intrigue? 
Even  so  the  fisher,  when  he  casts  his  net  into  the 
sea,  draws  forth  all  manner  of  fish. 


CHAPTER   IX. 
MADEMOISELLE'S  BRACELET. 

WHEN  I  warned  M.  de  Lambert  of  Apraxin's 
jealousy,  he  treated  it  with  the  scorn  that  I  had 
anticipated.  To  him  the  disappointed  lover  seemed 
but  a  sulky  boy,  and  he  attached  no  importance 
to  his  threats  until  he  found  that  mademoiselle 
came  no  more  to  the  cathedral.  It  was  evident 
that  the  ill-tempered  youth  had  become  a  tale- 
bearer; failing  to  execute  his  threat  in  any  other 
way,  he  separated  mademoiselle  from  her  lover  by 
the  interposition  of  her  uncle's  authority.  M. 
Guillaume  fretted  and  fumed  to  no  purpose;  if 
he  had  met  Apraxin  he  would  undoubtedly 
have  given  him  a  thrashing,  but  the  young  fellow 
had  cleverness  enough  to  evade  him,  and  time 
passed  with  no  news  from  mademoiselle.  The  day 
arrived  for  the  semi-annual  blessing  of  the  river 
Moskva  before  this  silence  was  broken. 

The  blessing  of  the  river  was  a  ceremony  as 
old  and  as  sacred  in  the  eyes  of  the  Moscovite  as 
the  holy  white  city  of  Moscow  itself.  Four  years 
before,  Peter  had  made  one  of  those  changes 
which  shocked  the  conservative  Russian.  It  had 
been  the  custom  to  begin  the  year  on  the  ist  of 


MADEMOISELLE'S  BRACELET.  12 1 

September,  dating  from  the  beginning  of  the 
world,  for  the  Russians  believed  that  the  earth  was 
created  in  the  autumn  with  its  perfected  fruits. 
By  an  imperial  decree,  his  Majesty  ordered  the 
year  to  begin  on  the  1st  of  January,  dating  from 
the  birth  of  our  Blessed  Lord,  as  all  the  nations  of 
Europe  were  accustomed  to  date  it.  This  was  in 
1700,  and  his  people  received  the  change  with  as 
little  favor  as  they  received  the  czar's  other  inno- 
vations. The  custom  of  blessing  the  river  fell 
upon  the  Feast  of  Epiphany,  and  was  a  solemn 
event.  The  patriarch  and  all  the  clergy  of 
Moscow  were  present  with  the  czar  and  the  court 
officials,  foreign  ministers  and  residents ;  rich  and 
great,  poor  and  humble,  assembled  on  the  banks 
of  the  river  to  witness  the  benediction. 

The  day  was  fair ;  the  sun  shone  on  the  white 
walls  and  buildings  of  the  Kremlin  and  on  domes 
of  gold  and  green  and  azure,  and  on  a  myriad  cu- 
polas, all  studded  with  stars  and  surmounted  by 
crosses,  and  everywhere  touched  by  the  white 
hand  of  the  snow;  and  circling  around  them, 
soaring  high  overhead,  flew  the  ravens  of  the 
Kremlin,  their  croaking  voices  making  a  strange 
monotone  through  all  the  ceremonies,  their  black 
forms  now  sweeping  around  some  tower,  now 
floating,  with  suspended  wings,  above  some  great 
cathedral.  The  city  was  full  of  activity,  its  narrow 
streets  thronged  with  people,  crowding  toward 
the  one  spot,  until  every  avenue  was  choked  with 


122  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

the  masses.  M.  de  Lambert  and  I  were  fortu- 
nately placed,  and  could  look  down  upon  the 
scene.  It  was  an  orderly  assembly,  for  the  Rus- 
sian has  a  deep  reverence  for  holy  things,  and 
there  was  no  confusion  even  where  the  populace 
pressed  close  upon  the  soldiers.  The  river  was 
frozen,  and  the  troops  were  drawn  up  upon  its 
bosom,  phalanx  after  phalanx,  war-worn  veterans 
and  raw  conscripts,  Russian  and  Cossack,  pre- 
senting a  curious  spectacle  to  the  eyes  of  the 
foreigners.  I  marked  the  great  improvement  in 
organization,  in  bearing,  in  clothing.  Here  was 
an  army  where  there  had  been  none,  and  it  was 
due  to  the  untiring  energy  and  ambition  of  one 
man.  The  sun  flashed  on  polished  arms,  on  coats- 
of-mail,  on  helmets,  and  on  the  blades  of  Damascus, 
as  the  troopers  waited  there  upon  the  ice,  a  great, 
compact,  unwavering  mass  of  men  ;  and  in  their 
midst,  mounted  on  his  favorite  horse,  Lisette,  was 
the  czar,  more  like  an  image  than  a  man,  his 
great  stature  and  huge  limbs  seeming  to  make 
other  men  diminutive.  The  center  of  all  the 
pomp  and  panoply  of  war,  surrounded  by  his 
glittering  staff,  he  wore  the  simple  uniform  of  a 
Colonel  of  the  Preobrazhensky  regiment,  his 
personal  guards,  and  there  was  no  order,  only  the 
Greek  cross  on  his  breast.  The  Preobrazhensky 
regiment  was  the  outgrowth  of  those  boy  soldiers 
that  the  common  people  had  called  the  Potieshnie 
Koniukhi,  "  troops  for  sport,"  and  Peter  had  risen 


MADEMOISELLE'S  BRACELET.  12$ 

from  the  rank  of  bombardier  sergeant,  having 
enlisted  in  that  capacity  under  the  name  of  Peter 
Alexeief.  It  was  his  peculiarity  to  court  a  simpli- 
city that  was  sometimes  an  offence  to  the  pride  of 
the  Russians  accustomed  to  look  upon  the  person  of 
the  czar  as  sacred.  That  day,  the  expression  of  his 
face  was  stern  and  even  sad.  He  was  subject  to 
seasons  of  melancholy,  and  for  the  time  was  under 
the  shadow  of  some  depression.  A  man  who 
stands  above  his  fellows,  not  only  by  virtue  of  his 
rank  but  by  a  certain  greatness  of  soul,  is  alienated 
from  their  sympathy,  —  isolated  in  his  elevation. 
Peter  was  a  reformer,  and  since  the  world  began 
reformers  have  been  more  or  less  hated  by  their 
contemporaries.  I  think  the  czar  felt  peculiarly 
alone,  and  there  was,  too,  some  shadow  on  his 
soul  that  no  human  sympathy  could  reach.  He 
sat  there  on  -his  splendid  horse,  a  solitary  figure 
amidst  those  tens  of  thousands,  a  soldier,  a  states- 
man, an  emperor,  and  alone  in  the  presence  of  his 
people.  Every  eye  in  that  vast  assembly  was 
upon  him,  but  he  was  as  unconscious  as  a  statue. 
Near  him  was  the  patriarch,  his  pontificals  blazing 
with  gold  and  silver  and  jewels,  his  miter  sur- 
mounted by  a  jewelled  cross,  —  an  imposing  figure 
surrounded  by  his  priests  in  their  Byzantine  robes, 
their  copes  of  silver  and  gold,  and  the  acolytes 
in  vestments  of  nacarat  velvet  and  gold.  They 
went  down  into  the  little  open  chapel  that  had 
been  erected  over  the  square  cut  through  the  ice 


124  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

to  the  dark  water  below  ;  the  slender  pillars  of  the 
chapel  supported  a  dome  in  which  was  suspended 
the  dove  with  its  golden  rays,  and  about  it  stood 
the  silent,  statuelike  guard  of  soldiers,  and  in  the 
biting  cold  every  head  was  bare.  In  the  silence 
that  falls  upon  a  multitude  when  hearts  are  stirred, 
the  priests  chanted  the  solemn  service,  and  at  the 
final  moment  the  cannon  boomed  heavily  upon 
the  air,  then  again  came  the  low,  even  chant  of  the 
priests.  The  patriarch's  voice,  though  clear  and 
loud,  did  not  reach  the  outskirts  of  the  vast 
assembly,  and  many  there  could  only  follow  the 
ceremony  by  his  gestures  ;  but  the  responsive 
tones  of  the  people  rose  in  low  deep  notes,  one 
mighty  wave  of  sound,  which  was  echoed  from  the 
battlements  of  the  Kremlin  and  rolled  away  toward 
those  vast  plains  that,  surrounding  the  city,  extend 
as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach  to  be  lost  in  the 
horizon.  Yet,  impressive  as  was  the  ceremony, 
splendid  as  was  the  figure  of  the  patriarch,  all  were 
alike  insignificant  beside  that  silent  man  upon  his 
horse;  the  ruler  of  the  Russias  held  the  throng 
fascinated  by  that  peculiar  power  that  made 
Peter  always  the  central  figure ;  something  about 
his  individuality  that  was  more  than  the  mere 
habit  of  command  and  was  born  with  him,  con- 
stituting one  of  those  influences  which  exalted  his 
personality  in  the  estimation  of  his  people,  in  spite 
of  a  hundred  faults  and  weaknesses  that  would  have 
ruined  a  lesser  man. 


MADEMOISELLE'S  BRACELET.  12$ 

The  scene  left  an  enduring  impress  upon  my 
mind ;  the  clear  atmosphere,  the  pale  blue  sky, 
the  white  Kremlin,  the  frozen  river,  and  the  bril- 
liant assemblage,  blazing  with  gold  and  jewels, 
against  the  background  of  the  populace  in  their 
dark  and  often  ragged  clothing,  brightened  here 
and  there  with  a  touch  of  scarlet  or  of  blue. 

After  the  ceremony  was  concluded,  there  was 
a  procession  to  the  churches,  and  a  banquet  at 
the  Kremlin,  at  which  the  czar  entertained  all 
the  ambassadors  and  the  nobility,  —  one  of  those 
tedious  and  interminable  feasts  which  were  so 
burdensome  with  their  ceremonial  and  their  in- 
evitable termination  in  carousal,  for  the  Russians 
and  the  Germans,  of  whom  there  were  many,  were 
heavy  drinkers.  I  noted  a  significant  indication 
of  the  drift  of  intrigue  in  the  presence  of  the 
Councillor  Zotof  in  the  personal  circle  of  the  czar, 
and  saw  that  Mentchikof  was  as  uneasy  and  watch- 
ful as  his  opponent  was  complaisant.  Zotof  was 
one  of  those  blatant  fools  who  congratulate  them- 
selves too  soon  on  an  apparent  victory,  and  was 
not  keen  enough  to  measure  the  wit  and  the  re- 
sources of  the  favorite.  The  czar's  gloomy  mood 
cast  a  shadow  upon  the  fete,  and  I  observed  that 
he  did  not  respond  at  all  to  M.  de  Lambert's 
obeisance,  —  another  sign  of  the  times.  King 
Augustus'  private  envoy  had  departed,  and  I  could 
not  avoid  some  speculation  about  the  Swedish  spy. 
I  fancied  that  he  had  either  followed  the  Pole  or 


126  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

was  still  loitering  about  the  court  in  quest  of  valu- 
able information.  We  had  so  happily  escaped  all 
responsibility  in  regard  to  him  that  I  congratu- 
lated myself  on  my  good  fortune  in  finding  a 
solution  of  the  difficulty. 

In  the  course  of  the  day  Alexander  Mentchikof 
found  an  opportunity  to  speak  to  me  privately. 

"  M.  le  Vicomte,"  he  said,  "  I  thank  you  for 
your  visit  to  my  house.  Mademoiselle  Catherine 
told  me  all,  and  I  shall  not  forget  your  friendship. 
Tell  M.  de  Lambert  to  be  of  good  cheer;  the 
game  is  not  yet  lost,  and  it  will  be  many  a  day 
before  I  yield  to  that  old  fool  across  the  way." 

He  referred  to  Zotof,  who  was  standing  opposite, 
talking  to  a  group  of  his  friends,  and  the  picture 
of  self-satisfaction. 

"  Mademoiselle  Shavronsky  is  well?"  I  inquired 
courteously,  anxious  to  avoid  a  too  personal 
conversation. 

The  favorite  smiled,  and  gave  me  a  keen  glance. 
"  Mademoiselle  is  under  a  cloud  at  present,"  he 
said  significantly,  "  but  there  must  be  a  change 
erelong,  unless  we  surrender  at  discretion,  and  you 
know  how  probable  that  is." 

"  I  cannot  imagine  it,  monsieur,"  I  replied  dryly, 
"  and  you  have  my  good  wishes." 

"  I  thank  you,"  he  said  with  dignity,  as  he 
turned  to  rejoin  the  czar. 

Peter  had  been  observing  us,  and  it  was  some- 
times unpleasant  to  find  his  keen  eye  upon  you ; 


MADEMOISELLE'S  BRACELET. 


127 


it  must  have  been  peculiarly  uncomfortable  for 
Mentchikof  at  a  time  when  he  was  straining  every 
nerve  to  thwart  his  master's  fancy  for  Mademoiselle 
Zotof. 

It  was  near  midnight  when  M.  de  Lambert  and 
I  left  the  Kremlin  together.  We  were  not  in  a 
talkative  mood,  and  traversed  the  streets  in  silence, 
each  wrapped  in  his  own  thoughts.  Mine  were 
anxious,  and  I  fancied  that  his  were  gloomy,  since 
there  had  been  little  to  reassure  him  at  court  to- 
day. We  had  reached  the  door  of  our  lodgings 
when  a  man  stepped  out  of  the  shadow  of  the 
house  and,  approaching  M.  de  Lambert,  addressed 
him  in  Russ. 

"  A  word  with  you,  master,"  he  said. 

My  foot  was  already  on  the  doorstep,  but  I 
stopped,  feeling  some  alarm  for  my  companion. 

"  You  may  speak  here,"  M.  de  Lambert  said 
sharply. 

The  fellow  hesitated.  "  I  was  directed  to  de- 
liver my  message  to  you  alone,"  he  replied,  draw- 
ing a  small  packet  from  under  his  cloak. 

"  I  am  alone,"  M.  Guillaume  said. 

"  My  mistress  directed  me  to  place  this  in  your 
hands,"  the  man  explained,  giving  him  the  packet 
and  turning  away. 

"  Hold  !  "  exclaimed  M.  de  Lambert,  excitedly; 
"there  is  some  answer?" 

"  None,"  the  messenger  replied,  "  and  I  dare 
not  linger.  I  have  waited  too  long  already." 


I28  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

He  turned  as  he  spoke  and  walked  rapidly 
away,  his  figure  soon  disappearing  in  the  dark- 
ness. M.  de  Lambert,  following  me  into  the 
house,  went  directly  to  a  table  in  the  hall  where 
Pierrot  had  left  the  tapers  burning.  The  packet 
was  a  small  one,  tied  with  a  gold  cord.  In  a 
moment  M.  de  Lambert  had  it  open,  disclosing 
a.  band  of  gold  with  a  single  large  emerald  on 
the  clasp,  a  bracelet  that  I  had  myself  seen  on 
the  arm  of  Mademoiselle  Zotof;  wrapped  about 
it  was  a  strip  of  paper  which  her  lover  unfolded 
eagerly.  I  confess  that  I  was  nearly  as  curious 
as  he,  and  watched  his  face  as  he  read  it 

"  She  has  been  closely  guarded,"  he  said  after 
a  moment,  "  but  she  can  be  at  the  bridge  to- 
morrow at  dusk." 

"At  the  bridge  at  dusk,"  I  repeated;  "this  is 
a  strange  appointment,  monsieur.  If  she  has 
been  closely  guarded,  it  is  marvellous  that  she 
can  evade  them  at  such  an  hour  and  that  she 
should  select  such  a  spot.  Are  you  sure  that  it 
is  her  writing? " 

He  was  half  indignant  at  my  criticism. 

"It  is  not  only  her  writing,  monsieur,"  he  re- 
plied, "but  this  is  her  bracelet." 

"  I  recognize  the  token,"  I  said,  "but  older  blood 
is  cautious,  and  I  like  neither  the  place  nor  the 
hour  of  the  appointment.  However,  you  can  take 
both  Pierrot  and  Touchet  with  you,  which  will  be 
a  greater  protection  for  mademoiselle." 


MADEMOISELLE'S  BRACELET.  129 

"That  cannot  be,"  he  answered  quickly,  "since 
she  especially  requests  me  to  come  unattended, 
for  some  reason  of  her  own." 

For  the  moment  I  was  silent.  Not  only  did 
mademoiselle's  request  surprise  me,  but  it  seemed 
unnatural  and  without  justification.  She  knew 
that  her  lover  was  encompassed  by  a  net  of  in- 
trigue, and  it  was  more  like  a  woman  to  surround 
him  with  precaution  than  to  desire  him  to  risk  his 
person  unprotected  in  a  lonely  spot  at  nightfall, 
and  I  could  not  suppose  that  she  intended  to  bring 
a  sufficient  guard,  for  in  the  very  act  of  evading 
the  authority  of  her  guardian  she  could  scarcely 
command  a  numerous  escort.  The  whole  business 
seemed  to  me  suspicious,  but  I  saw  that  he  was 
carried  away  by  the  one  thought  of  seeing  made- 
moiselle once  more. 

"At  least,  monsieur,"  I  said,  "you  will  permit 
me  to  accompany  you  as  a  friend,  if  I  stand  at  a 
distance  and  do  not  offend  against  mademoiselle's 
rules." 

He  smiled  a  little  at  my  words. 

"I  cannot  even  permit  that,"  he  replied.  "I 
must  obey  not  only  in  the  letter  but  the  spirit. " 
"A  faithful  lover,"  I  said,  smiling  also;  "I 
wish  I  shared  your  confidence  in  the  authenticity 
of  the  document.  At  least,  monsieur,  go  armed 
and  be  watchful.  There  are  many  here  who  would 
rejoice  at  your  undoing;  the  fact  that  we  have  not 
lately  seen  a  spy  at  your  heels  does  not  reassure 

9 


130  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

me.  Prince  Dolgoruky  saw  that  we  were  over- 
watchful,  and  it  may  be  that  he  would  disarm  our 
suspicion,  if  he  could.  I  know  the  ways  of  Mos- 
cow, and  I  warn  you  to  beware  upon  what  ground 
you  tread." 

He  was  standing  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
table,  holding  mademoiselle's  bracelet  in  his 
fingers,  and  he  looked  at  me  and  smiled. 

"In  the  old  days,  monsieur,"  he  said,  "were 
you  as  cautious?  If  Madame  de  Brousson  had 
sent  for  you,  would  you  have  waited  for  an 
escort? " 

I  laughed  and  shook  my  head. 

"Young  blood,"  I  said,  "young  blood!  I  do 
not  criticise  you,  monsieur,  I  only  suggest  cau- 
tion. I  cannot  say  that  I  exercised  it.  Fortu- 
nately for  me,  I  got  off  with  my  life.  The  dangers 
which  surround  you  are  less  violent,  but  far  more 
subtle.  Be  warned,  M.  de  Lambert,  and  look 
well  to  sword  and  pistol  before  you  keep  the 
tryst." 


CHAPTER   X. 

THE  TRYST. 

MADEMOISELLE  CATHERINE  had  fallen  into  a 
dangerous  habit  of  sending  me  little  billets,  writ- 
ten at  her  dictation  by  Madame  Golovin.  Subtle 
enough  in  many  ways,  the  Livonian  had  still  a 
woman's  excitable  temperament,  and  was  without 
patience  to  watch  the  results.  In  these  missives 
she  and  Madame  Golovin  veiled  their  meaning 
but  thinly,  and  it  was  not  difficult  to  identify 
the  czar,  Najine,  and  Prince  Dolgoruky.  Since 
Peter's  gift  of  a  ring  to  mademoiselle,  Catherine 
had  been  little  noticed,  and  those  who  thought 
they  saw  in  her  a  possible  successor  to  Anna 
Mons  began  to  doubt  her  influence,  but  I  was 
not  one  of  these.  She  actually  loved  the  czar, 
and  her  nature  was  one  that  would  be  peculiarly 
adapted  to  his,  and,  knowing  that  she  was  aiming 
at  the  throne,  I  believed  that  nothing  stood  be- 
tween her  and  her  desire  but  Mademoiselle  Zotof. 
Mademoiselle,  however,  had  a  tremendous  advan- 
tage over  her  rival ;  Catherine  was  of  humble  ori- 
gin, and  her  passions  and  ambitions  were  alike 
involved;  on  the  other  hand,  Najine  was  noble 


132  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

and  entirely  indifferent  to  her  imperial  lover;  she 
would  be  betrayed  into  no  indiscretion,  and  her 
birth,  her  beauty,  and  her  friends  would  all  de- 
mand the  crown  for  her.  It  would  be  impolitic 
—  almost  impossible  —  for  his  imperial  Majesty 
to  put  a  slight  upon  the  faction  that  supported 
her,  and  mademoiselle's  personal  repugnance  to 
the  marriage  only  piqued  the  pride  of  a  suitor 
who  had  never  before  been  rejected.  Catherine 
was  quick  to  see  all  the  disadvantages  of  her  own 
position  and  the  advantages  of  her  rival's,  and 
was  therefore  urgent  in  her  desire  to  forward 
M.  de  Lambert's  fortunes.  Immediately  after 
Najine's  message  reached  him,  Mademoiselle 
Shavronsky  sent  me  a  note  warning  me  that  the 
czar's  personal  attendants  had  been  commanded 
to  watch  M.  Guillaume.  I  read  the  missive  twice 
over  to  be  certain  that  I  understood  it,  although 
not  surprised  that  such  instruction  had  been 
given.  The  czar's  manner  to  the  young  French- 
man indicated  extreme  displeasure,  but  I  was 
astonished  that  the  order  had  been  issued  so  care- 
lessly as  to  reach  the  ears  of  Mentchikof.  Either 
Peter  was  willing  that  his  favorite  should  see 
that  he  preferred  mademoiselle,  or  else  Mentchi- 
kof had  so  environed  him  with  spies  that  nothing 
was  concealed  and  he  could  manipulate  every 
thread  in  the  skein.  It  seemed  almost  useless  to 
tell  M.  de  Lambert ;  he  was  in  a  heedless  mood, 
bent  only  on  seeing  mademoiselle  and  with  all  a 


THE    TRYST.  133 

brave  man's  indifference  to  peril.  In  fact,  I  think 
the  danger  of  the  situation  had  its  own  peculiar 
charms  for  him,  and  he  counted  every  risk  for 
Najine's  sake  a  source  of  comfort  and  rejoicing. 
To  Pierrot  I  could  speak  with  more  confidence, 
and  instructed  him  to  be  doubly  cautious,  espe- 
cially as  we  could  place  less  trust  in  Touchet's 
sagacity. 

"Since  M.  de  Lambert  is  sure  to  be  watched," 
I  concluded,  "you  and  Touchet  must  exercise  a 
peculiar  vigilance  and  endeavor  to  evade  the 
spies." 

"Prince  Dolgoruky's  equerry  has  been  about 
here  for  two  days,  M.  le  Mar^chal,"  Pierrot  re- 
plied calmly;  "after  M.  de  Lambert  threw  him 
down  at  the  Kremlin  he  kept  away  for  a  while, 
but  now  he  has  returned  to  his  old  vocation,  and 
there  is  also  another  fellow  with  him,  who,  I 
think,  wears  the  czar's  livery  under  his  cloak." 

"That  is  likely  enough,"  I  said,  thinking  of 
Catherine's  warning;  "watch  both  of  them,  but 
especially  Tikhon;  he  has  a  personal  grudge 
against  M.  de  Lambert,  and  is  therefore  the  more 
dangerous.  It  will  go  ill  with  us,  Pierrot,  if  we 
cannot  outwit  these  Russians;  we  did  it  in  our 
young  days,  and  if  we  fail  now  it  will  be  because 
old  age  is  creeping  on." 

A  smile  illumined  Pierrot's  stolid  face.  "Ah, 
M.  le  Vicomte,"  he  said,  "we  should  never  have 
returned  to  Moscow,  for  it  is  our  fate  here  to  be 


134  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

constantly  mixed  up  with  love  and  desperate  in- 
trigue. I  am  getting  old  and  stiff,  monsieur, 
and  cannot  defeat  these  rascals  so  easily  as  I  did 
twenty  years  ago. " 

"  Do  not  confess  your  age  or  your  stiff  joints, 
Pierrot,"  I  said,  laughing;  "it  is  too  soon  to  be 
laid  upon  the  shelf  by  the  wild  young  gallants  of 
to-day.  Moreover,  they  need  our  counsel." 

"The  more  they  need  it,  the  less  likely  they 
are  to  take  it,  monsieur,"  he  said  dryly. 
"Touchet  is  a  featherhead,  and  M.  de  Lambert 
is  over-rash,  although  a  noble  and  gallant  gen- 
tleman. He  reminds  me  of  you,  M.  le  Mare"- 
chal,  in  your  youth;  the  same  brave,  loyal,  and 
devoted  soldier.  I  think  of  the  old  days  often, 
and  of  madame  when  she  was  Mademoiselle 
Ramodanofsky. " 

"We  are  a  couple  of  old  fools,  Pierrot,"  I 
replied,  "for  I  think  of  it  too,  and  perhaps 
that  is  why  I  have  so  much  forbearance  for  M. 
Guillaume." 

Pierrot  shook  his  head  and  smiled.  "Ah,  mon- 
sieur," he  said,  "you  were  a  gallant  young  gen- 
tleman too;  and  Mademoiselle  Zena'fde  —  how 
well  I  remember  her  as  she  looked  when  we 
brought  you  up  the  stairs  unconscious,  after  you 
had  saved  her  life  and  the  others!  Those  were 
brave  days,  M.  le  Vicomte ;  you  had  the  swiftest 
and  the  strongest  sword-thrust  that  it  has  been 
my  good  fortune  to  see;  you  — " 


THE    TRYST.  135 

"Hush,  man!"  I  interrupted,  "you  make  me 
an  old  fogy.  My  hand  has  not  yet  lost  its  cun- 
ning. You  talk  of  me  as  an  old  fellow  without  a 
good  right  arm. " 

"  The  saints  forbid  ! "  Pierrot  said  devoutly ; 
"but  you  are  now  a  marshal  of  France  and  you 
were  then  a  young  cavalier.  It  is  the  baton  that 
is  for  you  now,  rather  than  the  sword  and  the 
dagger. " 

"True  enough,  Pierrot,"  I  assented  with  a 
sigh;  "I  must  remember  my  dignity  and  my 
years,  and  let  the  young  have  the  adventures. 
Soon  it  will  be  my  son  who  has  his  father's  old 
tricks  with  the  rapier,  and  I  shall  be  but  a  gouty 
old  gentleman  who  was  once  marshal  of  France, 
but  is  now  a  fossil  too  stiff  for  service  in  the  field 
and  laid  upon  the  shelf.  Well,  well,  Pierrot,  an 
old  sword  and  an  old  servant,  I  hope,  will  be  left 
me." 

There  were  tears  in  the  honest  fellow's  eyes. 
"My  father  died  in  the  service  of  your  house, 
M.  le  Vicomte,"  he  said  proudly,  "and  I  will  die 
in  yours." 

At  a  later  hour  my  wife  came  to  me  with  a 
troubled  face. 

"  M.  de  Lambert  is  determined  to  keep  his 
appointment,"  she  said,  "and  to  go  unattended; 
but  it  seems  to  me  that  Pierrot  ought  to  follow 
him  without  his  knowledge." 

"I  thought  of  that,"  I  replied,  "but  it  looked 


136  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

unfair  to  follow  him  against  his  wishes, — a  be- 
trayal of  his  confidence." 

Z6naide  shrugged  her  shoulders.  "  I  would  not 
draw  such  distinctions,"  she  said,  with  a  woman's 
fine  disdain  of  a  man's  scruples;  "his  life  is  the 
first  object.  You  know,  Philippe,  I  do  not  be- 
lieve that  Najine  ever  sent  that  message;  it  is 
unnatural  and  unwomanly,  but  M.  de  Lambert 
will  not  listen  to  me.  I  believe  I  admire  him 
the  more  for  his  rash  devotion ;  still  I  would  pro- 
tect him,  whether  he  wished  it  or  not." 

I  reflected,  for  her  opinion  and  mine  coincided, 
and  I  felt  most  reluctant  to  allow  the  young  man 
to  expose  himself  to  unnecessary  risk.  So  it  was 
that  I  called  Pierrot,  who  had  withdrawn,  and  in- 
structed him  to  follow  M.  de  Lambert  when  he 
departed  at  dusk  to  keep  the  tryst. 

An  appointment  with  the  czar  took  me  to  the 
Kremlin  two  hours  before  the  important  moment. 
At  this  time  the  Swedes  were  occupying  the 
provinces  of  Kalisz  and  Posen,  in  Poland,  and 
the  Polish  Primate,  Cardinal  Radziejowski,  had 
summoned  a  Diet  at  Warsaw,  ostensibly  that  the 
Republic  of  Poland  might  make  a  separate  peace 
with  Charles  XII.,  but  with  the  real  purpose  of 
deposing  Augustus  of  Saxony.  The  confedera- 
tion of  Schrod,  or  Great  Poland,  was  under  the 
protection  of  the  King  of  Sweden,  who  was  pro- 
posing Prince  Jacob  Sobieski  to  succeed  Augus- 
tus. It  was  an  intrigue  to  control  Poland  and 


THE    TRYST. 


137 


dethrone  her  king,  looked  upon  with  little  favor 
by  the  powers.  Peter  was  continually  endeavor- 
ing to  feel  the  pulse  of  France ;  to  ascertain  how 
far  the  king  my  master  would  interfere  between 
him  and  Charles  XII.,  and  whether  the  partition 
of  Poland  or  the  downfall  of  Augustus  would  be 
regarded  with  indifference  by  the  French.  My 
moves  were  even  more  cautious  than  his;  sent 
to  watch  the  disposition  of  Russia  toward  the 
Grand  Alliance,  and  to  ascertain  how  far  the  czar 
would  go  in  upholding  Augustus  in  Saxony,  I 
played  the  game  of  cross  purposes  day  by  day, 
though  I  often  saw  the  hot-tempered  czar  fretted 
by  my  complaisance  and  by  the  apparent  indiffer- 
ence of  France.  While  I  never  admitted  that  I 
was  an  envoy  of  my  government,  Peter  allowed 
me  to  see  that  he  divined  my  mission ;  but  through 
all  the  manoeuvring  he  did  not  forget  to  probe 
me  about  M.  de  Lambert  and  mademoiselle.  He 
was  quite  aware  that  she  preferred  her  French 
lover,  and  it  must  ha've  been  a  keen  annoyance  to 
his  haughty  nature.  His  personal  feeling  toward 
me  was  cordial ;  he  was  easy  to  approach,  his 
large  nature  scorning  the  trivial  etiquette  of 
courts,  and,  in  spite  of  his  violent  temper  and 
mad  outbursts,  there  were  many  qualities  that 
were  kingly  and  commanded  my  regard.  That 
he  regretted  his  occasional  paroxysms  of  fury,  I 
did  not  doubt.  It  was  not  even  difficult  to  under- 
stand his  treatment  of  the  Czarina  Eudoxia.  She 


138  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

belonged  to  the  old  regime;  an  ignorant  woman, 
narrow,  bigoted,  and  jealous,  clashing  with  the 
temperament  of  her  husband  at  every  point,  un- 
able to  comprehend  his  intellect,  hating  his  re- 
forms, without  sympathy  for  his  ambitions;  tried, 
no  doubt,  beyond  endurance  by  the  czar's  intrigue 
with  Anna  Mons,  but,  in  any  case,  totally  unfit 
to  hold  his  esteem.  Unhappily,  it  was  said  that 
the  Czarevitch  Alexis,  then  a  lad  of  thirteen, 
was  like  his  mother  in  disposition  and  in  tastes; 
already  the  wiseacres  at  court  looked  forward  to 
the  day  when  there  would  be  a  breach  between 
father  and  son.  It  was  this  probability  and  the 
delicate  constitution  of  Alexis  which  made  Peter's 
possible  marriage  an  event  of  keen  interest  to 
the  opposing  parties  and  of  vital  importance  to 
Mentchikof,  who  was  determined  to  keep  his 
place  beside  the  czar. 

When  I  left  the  Kremlin  and  turned  my  steps 
toward  my  lodgings,  my  mind  was  still  full  of 
these  matters.  France  and  the  Grand  Alliance, 
Russia  and  Charles  XII.  filled  my  thoughts,  and 
for  the  time  I  had  forgotten  M.  de  Lambert  and 
his  love  affair.  Although  my  path  took  me  in 
the  direction  of  the  bridge,  I  walked  toward  it 
still  too  absorbed  to  remember  the  tryst.  It  was 
now  quite  dark,  and  a  mist  hung  over  the  frozen 
river ;  the  ground  was  white  with  snow  and  it  was 
beginning  to  sleet.  It  seemed  unusually  still,  so 
that  I  heard  the  scream  of  a  raven  disturbed  in 


THE    TRYST. 


139 


his  rest.  Suddenly  there  was  a  cry  and  a  pistol- 
shot.  Remembering  M.  de  Lambert,  I  dashed 
down  the  slope  to  the  bridge.  As  I  did  so,  I  ran 
against  a  man  who  was  rushing  up  the  bank,  and, 
obeying  an  instinct,  I  caught  him  in  my  arms, 
pinioning  his;  but  the  ground  was  slippery  and 
he  threw  himself  on  me,  pushing  me  sideways  on 
the  slope  until  I  lost  my  footing  and  went  down 
on  one  knee.  Having  me  at  a  disadvantage,  he 
wrenched  himself  free,  and,  dealing  a  blow  that 
stretched  me  on  the  ice,  dashed  off  in  the  dark- 
ness just  as  another  man  came  up  from  the  bridge, 
and,  seeing  me  upon  my  back,  fell  on  me  with  a 
cry  of  fury. 

"  You  villain  ! "  he  exclaimed,  "  I  have  you  now ! " 

It  was  Pierrot. 

"  Help  me  up,  you  knave ! "  I  said,  thrusting 
his  hands  from  my  throat;  "you  will  choke  me 
here  in  the  snow." 

He  uttered  an  ejaculation  and  stood  transfixed 
with  amazement. 

"I  beg  your  pardon  a  thousand  times,  M.  le 
Marshal,"  he  said,  after  a  moment,  recovering 
sufficiently  to  help  me  to  my  feet ;  "  but  where  is 
the  other  ? " 

"  Gone  while  you  were  belaboring  me,"  I  replied 
dryly.  "  What  has  happened?  " 

"M.  de  Lambert  is  wounded,"  he  said,  "I 
know  not  how  badly.  It  was,  as  you  supposed,  a 
trap;  mademoiselle  was  not  here." 


140  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

I  did  not  wait  to  hear  more,  being  anxious  for 
my  friend.  "  Where  is  he  ?  "  I  exclaimed. 

Pierrot  turned,  and  conducted  me  across  the 
bridge  to  the  farther  side.  There  in  the  snow 
were  two  dark  figures. 

"  Who  is  with  him  ?  "  I  asked  quickly. 

"I  know  not,"  my  equerry  replied;  "but  it  is 
the  stranger  who  saved  his  life." 

As  we  approached,  I  saw  that  M.  de  Lambert 
was  sitting  up,  supported  by  the  other. 

"  How  is  it  with  you,  Guillaume  ?  "  I  inquired, 
bending  over  him. 

"I  have  a  cut,"  he  said  quietly,  "but  it  is  not 
serious;  with  your  help,  I  will  go  back  to  our 
quarters. " 

I  was  straining  my  eyes  in  the  dark  to  see  the 
face  of  his  companion;  when  he  spoke,  I  recog- 
nized his  voice. 

"  If  he  will  lean  on  my  arm,  he  can  rise,  "he  said. 

It  was  the  Swedish  spy.  With  his  help,  M.  de 
Lambert  rose  and  stood  leaning  his  hand  on  the 
other's  shoulder.  After  a  moment  he  recovered 
sufficiently  to  take  my  arm  and  walk  slowly  in  the 
direction  of  our  lodgings.  The  Swede  followed 
us  a  few  steps ;  then,  seeing  that  the  wounded  man 
could  walk  alone,  turned  to  leave  us,  but  I  checked 
him. 

"Not  so  fast,  friend,"  I  said;  "my  man  tells 
me  that  you  saved  M.  de  Lambert's  life.  You 
cannot  escape  our  gratitude." 


THE    TRYST.  141 

M.  de  Lambert  held  out  his  hand.  "You  must 
return  with  us,"  he  said. 

"Nay,  your  Excellencies,"  the  Swede  replied 
with  evident  embarrassment,  "  I  should  be  an 
unwelcome  visitor." 

"Not  so,"  I  responded  quietly,  "and  you  alone 
can  fully  explain  this  matter." 

After  some  hesitation  he  yielded,  and  we 
moved  on  slowly  on  account  of  M.  de  Lambert, 
while  Pierrot  went  for  a  surgeon.  We  had  not  a 
great  distance  to  walk;  and  when  we  reached  our 
quarters,  Touchet  opened  the  door  and  we  helped 
the  wounded  man  to  his  room.  My  wife,  hearing 
us  enter,  came  to  our  aid,  and  we  had  M.  de  Lam- 
bert comfortably  lying  on  his  couch  when  the  sur- 
geon arrived,  —  a  German  whom  I  knew,  for  I 
would  not  trust  him  in  Russian  hands.  An  ex- 
amination showed  a  stab  in  the  side,  which  had 
caused  some  loss  of  blood,  but  had  not  touched 
any  vital  spot.  Reassured  as  to  his  safety,  I  was 
at  leisure  to  return  to  the  outer  room,  where  I 
found  Pierrot  and  the  Swede  talking  together. 
Sitting  down  by  the  table,  I  signed  to  them  to 
advance. 

"Now,"  I  said,  "tell  me,  if  you  can,  exactly 
what  occurred  at  the  bridge." 

Pierrot  pointed  to  the  Swede.  "He  can  tell 
you  more  than  I,"  he  said;  "obeying  your  in- 
structions, I  followed  M.  de  Lambert  at  a  distance 
and  saw  him  go  down  to  the  bridge.  A  moment 


142  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

later,  I  heard  the  noise  of  a  struggle,  and  running 
forward  reached  the  bridge  as  another  man  sprang 
upon  it,  and,  turning  aside  the  assassin's  pistol, 
saved  M.  de  Lambert's  life.  I  had  almost  caught 
the  villain,  but  he  wrenched  himself  away  from 
me  and  fled  up  the  bank.  You  know  the  rest, 
monsieur." 

"And  now  your  story,  Lenk,"  I  said,  turning 
to  the  spy. 

"  I  was  coming  along  by  the  river,  your  Excel- 
lency," he  replied  quietly,  "and  saw  a  man, 
muffled  in  his  cloak,  loitering  by  the  bridge  in  a 
manner  that  arrested  my  attention.  Then  seeing 
who  it  was,  I  suspected  a  greater  plot  than  even 
this." 

"  Who  was  it  ?  "  I  asked  sharply. 

The  Swede  looked  at  me  an  instant  before  he 
answered.  "  It  was  Yury  Apraxin,"  he  said. 

"  Ah ! "  I  exclaimed  softly,  knowing  at  once 
that  he  had  supposed  that  the  young  man  was 
waiting  to  avenge  the  czar's  insult,  aware  of 
Peter's  careless  habit  of  going  unattended. 

"So  suspicious  were  his  movements,"  the  spy 
continued,  "that  I  too  loitered  about  in  the 
shelter  of  the  wall  and  watched.  After  a  long 
while  M.  de  Lambert  appeared,  and  walked  rap- 
idly towards  the  bridge.  Then  I  observed  that 
Apraxin  had  let  his  mantle  fall  until  he  looked 
almost  a  woman  in  the  dusk,  and  it  flashed  upon 
me  that  it  was  a  trick.  I  ran  to  the  bridge,  reach- 


THE    TRYST.  143 

ing  it  just  as  he  stabbed  your  friend.  I  caught 
the  fellow's  arm,  and  he  drew  his  pistol  with  his 
left  hand.  I  struck  his  wrist,  and  the  weapon 
went  off.  Pierrot  came,  and  the  assassin  escaped 
in  the  struggle  and  confusion.  That  is  all,  your 
Excellency." 

"  It  is  to  your  swift  action,  then,  that  we  owe  M. 
de  Lambert's  life,"  I  said,  looking  at  him  atten- 
tively. "  What  motive  prompted  you  to  risk  your 
own  for  his? " 

The  Swede's  fair-skinned  face  flushed,  and  he 
returned  my  look  with  a  flash  of  feeling  in  his 
light  eyes. 

"I  owed  him  a  life,"  he  replied  stolidly,  "and 
I  do  not  forget  my  debts." 

Remembering  M.  de  Lambert's  relief  and  mine 
to  be  rid  of  him  on  that  night,  I  smiled. 

"You  are  an  honest  fellow;  accept  our  thanks," 
I  said,  drawing  out  my  purse. 

He  started  back  with  an  expression  of  resent- 
ment. 

"Not  that,  your  Excellency,"  he  said  proudly; 
"my  life  was  worth  more  to  me  than  French  gold. 
I  did  but  discharge  my  just  debts.  Keep  your 
money  for  those  who  seek  it;  I  am  a  free-born 
Swede  and  have  saved  a  life.  That  requires  no 
thanks." 

I  looked  at  him  with  growing  interest.  This 
was  no  common  spy,  or  if  the  lower  classes  were 
of  such  noble  stuff,  how  worthy  must  be  the  higher 


144  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

orders !  King  Charles  was  fortunate.  I  rose  and 
held  out  my  hand. 

"You  must  accept,  at  least,  my  thanks,"  I  said. 

As  I  spoke,  I  saw  my  wife  coming  forward. 
She  had  entered  the  room  unobserved,  and  over- 
heard the  conversation.  Her  cheeks  were  flushed, 
and  her  blue  eyes  kindled  with  a  look  they 
had  when  she  was  deeply  stirred.  She  came 
across  to  the  Swede,  and  drew  a  ring  from  her 
finger. 

"Accept  this,  my  friend,"  she  said  in  her  gra- 
cious way,  "for  your  sweetheart,  as  a  gift  of  rec- 
ognition for  a  gallant  service  to  a  Frenchman." 

The  Swede,  looking  at  her  fine  and  animated 
face,  took  the  ring  and  made  her  a  profound 
obeisance. 

"Madame,"  he  said  in  a  low  voice,  "I  esteem 
it  an  honor  to  accept  your  gift.  In  a  manner  I 
have  regained  my  reputation.  His  Excellency 
your  husband  and  his  friend  thought  me  a  cow- 
ardly spy  because  I  dreaded  to  die  a  shameful 
death ;  but  I  do  not  fear  to  die  —  as  a  brave  man 
should. " 

Zenai'de  gave  me  a  glance  in  which  were  min- 
gled triumph  and  reproach. 

"You  have  not  only  won  our  respect,"  she  re- 
plied, "  but  you  have  earned  our  gratitude,  for  we 
both  love  M.  de  Lambert.  We  do  not  forget  such 
a  service." 

"Madame,    you    are    good,"    the    Swede    said 


THE    TRYST.  145 

quietly;  "and  I  will  wear  your  ring  always,  to 
remind  me  of  the  nobler  purposes  of  life." 

Kneeling  down,  he  kissed  the  hem  of  her  robe, 
and  then,  rising,  left  the  house  without  another 
word. 

"  And  you  thought  him  a  coward ! "  exclaimed 
Zena'fde,  looking  at  me  with  a  smile. 

"  He  is  not  only  a  brave  man,  but  a  courtier,  it 
seems,  Madame  de  Brousson,"  I  replied  dryly. 

She  laughed,  looking  down  at  her  robe  and 
flushing  like  a  girl. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

AN  INTERCEPTED    LETTER. 

M.  DE  LAMBERT'S  wound,  though  not  dan- 
gerous, was  troublesome,  and  kept  him  confined 
to  his  room  for  some  time;  a  fretful  patient  he 
was,  trying  my  wife's  forbearance,  although  she 
was  in  full  sympathy  with  his  anxieties.  There 
were  no  definite  developments,  but  it  was  mani- 
fest that  Catherine  Shavronsky  was  at  this  time 
more  or  less  neglected,  while  favors  were  show- 
ered upon  the  Zotofs,  and  mademoiselle's  name 
was  on  every  lip.  In  the  interval  she  appeared 
once  at  court,  and  was  surrounded  by  a  bevy  of 
courtiers,  and  it  occurred  to  me  that  perhaps  her 
silence  toward  her  lover  was  caused  by  a  change  of 
heart,  that  the  splendors  of  a  throne  had  dazzled 
her;  but  Zenai'de  refused  to  believe  it.  She  had 
an  unshaken  confidence  in  Najine's  loyalty,  and 
fully  appreciated  the  difficulties  which  beset  the 
young  girl.  We  endeavored  to  send  her  a  mes- 
sage explaining  M.  de  Lambert's  condition,  but 
neither  Z^nafde  nor  I  believed  that  it  ever  reached 
her.  Meanwhile  Apraxin  had  disappeared.  It 
would  have  been  impossible  to  obtain  any  satis- 


AN  INTERCEPTED  LETTER.  147 

faction  in  regard  to  the  young  villain,  and  I  was 
more  or  less  relieved  at  his  departure.  There  was 
no  doubt  that  his  attack  on  M.  Guillaume  had 
been  actuated  entirely  by  jealousy,  and  that  there 
was  no  deeper  motive  behind  it,  which  diminished 
the  chances  of  obtaining  any  redress. 

Madame  de  Brousson's  woman,  Jeanne,  had  made 
several  attempts  to  penetrate  the  seclusion  of  the 
Zotof  mansion  without  success,  but  at  last  she 
was  more  fortunate,  and  it  was  while  M.  de  Lam- 
bert was  still  suffering  from  his  wound  that  she 
returned  one  forenoon  with  important  tidings. 
Mademoiselle  herself  had  been  dangerously  ill, 
and  there  were  whispers  of  suspicious  circum- 
stances attending  her  indisposition.  She  had  ac- 
companied Madame  Zotof  to  a  fete  at  the  palace, 
returning  with  the  usual  gifts  of  sweetmeats;  ma- 
dame  ate  hers  without  ill  effects,  but  mademoiselle 
had  no  sooner  tasted  the  comfit  than  she  was 
seized  with  a  sudden  and  alarming  illness,  and 
madame  summoned  a  physician  in  hot  haste.  At 
first  he  almost  despaired  of  saving  Najine's  life, 
but  after  a  while  the  worst  symptoms  passed 
off,  and  she  recovered  consciousness.  The  phy- 
sician, after  examining  the  fragment  remaining, 
declared  that  the  comfit  had  been  poisoned.  Ma- 
demoiselle was  now  recovering,  Jeanne  reported, 
and  there  was  a  close  surveillance  exercised,  no 
food  reaching  her  room  untasted.  The  retainers 
and  serfs  at  the  Zotof  mansion  were  in  a  state 


148  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

of  profound  excitement,  and  it  was  whispered 
that  the  Czarevna  Natalia,  Peter's  sister,  was  en- 
deavoring to  poison  Najine.  This,  of  course,  was 
the  idle  gossip  of  the  servants,  and  not  worth  a 
thought;  Natalia  Alexeievna  had  too  many  noble 
qualities  to  stoop  to  the  assassin's  weapons.  Nor 
could  the  princess  have  any  real  choice  between 
mademoiselle  and  the  Livonian,  unless,  indeed, 
she  thought  that  an  intrigue  with  Catherine  would 
end  as  it  had  ended  with  Anna  Mons,  while,  on  the 
other  hand,  mademoiselle  would  undoubtedly  as- 
cend the  throne  if  Zotof  s  intrigues  were  success- 
ful. In  any  case,  the  czarevna  could  have  little 
interest  in  the  matter;  it  was  true  that  she  was 
the  aunt  of  the  czarevitch,  but  it  was  probable 
that  she  shared  her  brother's  dislike  of  Eudoxia, 
and  was  therefore  without  personal  feeling  to- 
ward the  woman  who  was  likely  to  supplant  her. 
It  was  not  difficult  to  imagine  that  there  were 
many  at  court  who  were  jealous  of  Najine.  I  had 
feared  from  the  first  some  overt  act  after  Mentchi- 
kof's  veiled  threat  to  me,  that  if  fair  means  did 
not  succeed,  foul  would.  If  the  czar  was  indeed 
enamored  of  mademoiselle,  he  would  not  be 
thwarted,  and  neither  Catherine  Shavronsky  nor 
M.  de  Lambert  nor  the  young  fool  Apraxin  was 
likely  to  defeat  his  settled  purpose;  and  this  at- 
tempt to  remove  her  at  once  convinced  me  that 
the  belief  was  prevalent  that  she  was  the  imperial 
choice.  ZenaYde,  who  was  a  keen  observer,  was 


AN  INTERCEPTED  LETTER.  149 

deeply  concerned,  and,  being  a  Russian,  she  under- 
stood the  undercurrents.  The  only  hope  that  I 
saw  lay  in  the  fact  that  Peter  had  made  no  public 
announcement,  which  would  have  been  irretrieva- 
ble. If  we  could  but  turn  him  aside,  and  prevent 
such  a  declaration  for  Najine,  we  might  yet  save 
the  day.  We  had  determined  not  to  inform  M.  de 
Lambert  of  her  illness,  but  such  secrets  find  their 
way  to  lovers'  ears  too  easily.  I  had  scarcely 
known  it  a  day  myself  when  he  sent  for  me  to  his 
room.  I  found  him  propped  upon  his  pillows, 
still  pale,  for  he  had  lost  much  blood,  but  with 
the  sparkle  of  health  in  his  clear  brown  eyes.  He 
responded  to  my  inquiries  with  impatience,  and, 
dismissing  Touchet,  who  was  in  attendance,  asked 
me  to  be  seated  opposite  to  him,  where  the  light 
fell  full  upon  my  face. 

"  How  is  mademoiselle?  "  he  asked  me  sharply, 
scanning  my  features  with  the  eye  of  a  hawk; 
"how  ill  has  she  been?" 

I  smiled  in  spite  of  myself.  "  She  is  more  nearly 
recovered  than  you,  monsieur,"  I  said,  "  and  per- 
haps was  never  worse  than  you  have  been.  Some 
one  has  told  you  garbled  tales." 

"  I  hope  that  you  do  not  deceive  me,  M.  le 
Marechal,"  he  replied  distrustfully  ;  "  it  would  be 
a  poor  kindness." 

"  Happily,  I  do  not  need  to  deceive  you,"  I 
replied ;  "  mademoiselle  has  had  some  illness  from 
which  she  is  almost  recovered.  The  gossip  of  the 


150  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

kitchen  accounts  it  a  poisoned  comfit,  but  no 
breath  of  this  is  abroad.  It  would  be  treason  to 
whisper  it,  for  the  sweetmeats  came  from  the 
imperial  table." 

He  looked  at  me  thoughtfully.  "  Can  it  be  that 
the  princess  is  against  her?"  he  exclaimed. 

"Impossible,"  I  replied;  "  Natalia  is  too  noble. 
Such  treachery  does  not  belong  to  the  Romanoff." 

"  Some  traitor  in  the  kitchen,  then,"  he  said 
gloomily;  "  and  here  I  lie  on  my  back  like  a  fool 
while  her  life  is  in  danger !  " 

"Take  comfort,  monsieur,"  I  remarked  calmly; 
"  it  has  been  a  salutary  lesson,  and  mademoiselle 
will  be  watched  the  more  carefully.  Too  much 
hangs  on  her  life  for  it  to  be  exposed.  Moreover, 
it  may  all  have  been  the  veriest  accident,  —  some- 
thing dropped  upon  the  comfit  and  falling  to 
mademoiselle  by  chance.  Why  work  yourself  into 
a  fever  over  this?  I  have  tasted  more  than  one 
Russian  dish  that  I  thought  would  shortly  send 
me  to  paradise,  yet  I  live." 

He  smiled  in  spite  of  himself,  but  I  saw  that  his 
enforced  helplessness  was  fretting  him  like  a  thorn 
in  the  flesh,  and  could  understand  and  sympathize 
with  his  -  impatience,  knowing  how  great  would  be 
mine  in  the  like  case. 

It  was  after  leaving  him  that  I  entered  Madame 
de  Brousson's  closet  and  found  her  with  a  letter 
in  her  hands. 

"  Here  is  another  one  of  Catherine's  billets,"  she 


AN  INTERCEPTED  LETTER.  151 

said  scornfully  ;  "  but  this  one,  I  am  certain,  has 
been  tampered  with.  Look  at  the  seal  —  look  at 
the  manner  in  which  it  is  folded  ;  "  and  she  handed 
it  to  me  with  a  gesture  of  disdain. 

Half  amused,  I  took  it  and,  holding  it  to  the 
light,  was  at  once  convinced  that  her  keen  eyes 
had  discovered  the  truth.  There  was  every  indica- 
tion that  the  missive  had  been  opened  and  re-sealed 
by  some  one  who  scarcely  cared  to  take  the  pains 
to  conceal  the  work.  Zenai'de,  seeing  my  face 
grow  grave,  came  and  stood  by  me,  looking  at  the 
paper. 

"  It  is  true,"  I  remarked  ;  "  some  one  has  tam- 
pered with  it." 

"  And  who?  "  she  said  softly. 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders.  "You  have  over- 
reached me  there,  madame,"  I  replied;  "  I  am  no 
reader  of  riddles.  But  let  us  see  what  the  fair 
Catherine  has  to  write  to  me  in  this  careless  way. 
Madame  Golovin  should  be  wiser  than  to  be  her 
scribe  ;  but  when  will  women  learn  to  keep  their 
pens  from  paper?  "  I  unfolded  it  as  I  spoke,  and 
together  we  read  a  long  note  from  Mademoiselle 
Shavronsky,  full  of  too  plain  references,  hinting  at 
a  dozen  ways  of  securing  mademoiselle  before  the 
czar  should  announce  his  choice  or  make  any 
open  sign  in  her  favor,  —  a  mischievous  note  to 
fall  into  the  wrong  hands;  referring  to  Najine's 
illness  and  to  M.  de  Lambert's  wound  and  calling 
men  by  their  names.  I  read  it  through  without 


152  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER 

a  comment,  and  then  Madame  de  Brousson  and  I 
looked  at  each  other. 

"  The  woman  is  a  fool,  and  Madame  Golovin 
another,"  I  exclaimed  impatiently  ;  "  what  would 
she  have  been  in  the  hands  of  Madame  de 
Montespan  ?  " 

"  Ah,  well,  we  cannot  look  for  a  Madame  de 
Maintenon  every  day,"  Z6nalde  replied,  shaking 
her  head;  "yet  she  risks  not  only  herself,  but  all 
this  is  dangerous  to  you.  You  must  put  an  end 
to  it,  Philippe." 

"  An  end  to  it !  "  I  exclaimed ;  "  you  are  a 
woman,  and  yet  fancy  that  I  can  control  another 
woman  —  and  one  like  Catherine  Shavronsky. 
You  rave,  madame;  I  am  no  magician." 

"  Appeal  to  Mentchikof,"  Zenai'de  suggested. 

"  Appeal  to  the  moon !  "  I  replied  with  im- 
patience. "  Catherine  cares  not  for  him.  Her 
head  is  full  of  fancies,  and  she  must  needs  put 
them  on  paper  like  a  woman !  " 

"  Now  you  are  out  of  humor,  M.  le  Mare"chal," 
Zenai'de  said  calmly ;  "  you  are  never  discour- 
teous except  when  you  lose  your  temper.  Then 
women  must  bear  the  blame  for  all  the  errors  of 
the  world." 

I  took  her  hand  and  kissed  it,  for  I  saw  the  flash 
in  her  blue  eyes.  "  If  women  were  all  like  you, 
madame,"  I  said  gallantly,  "  the  world  would  be 
fortunate  indeed." 

"  I  thank  you,  monsieur,"  she  replied,  answering 


AN  INTERCEPTED  LETTER.  153 

me  with  my  own  manner  ;  "  the  woman  does  not 
live  who  is  not  more  patient  than  man." 

But  our  little  comedy  was  ended  by  Pierrot, 
who  appeared  suddenly  at  the  door  with  a  per- 
turbed countenance. 

"A  message  from  the  Kremlin,  monsieur,"  he 
said  in  a  strange  voice. 

I  glanced  at  him,  surprised.  "  A  message  from 
whom?  "  I  asked. 

"  It  is  the  czar's  equerry,"  he  replied. 

Zenai'de  had  risen  and  stood  with  her  hand  upon 
my  shoulder,  and  I  felt  her  fingers  tighten  their 
hold  a  trifle. 

"Let  him  come  here,"  I  said,  and  Pierrot  de- 
parted on  his  errand. 

"What  can  it  be  at  this  hour?"  Zenalfde  ex- 
claimed, for  it  was  late  in  the  evening. 

I  could  not  answer  her,  for  I  was  myself  per- 
plexed. In  a  moment  Pierrot  returned  and  an- 
nounced the  equerry,  a  young  fellow  whom  I 
knew  by  sight. 

"You  are  charged  with  a  message  to  me?"  I 
said,  responding  to  his  salutation. 

"  His  imperial  Majesty  desires  your  immediate 
attendance,  M.  de  Brousson,"  he  replied  with  an 
air  of  importance. 

I  rose  at  once.  "  The  hour  is  late,"  I  said 
calmly,  "  but  I  will  be  with  you  in  a  few  moments." 

Zenai'de  followed  me  from  the  room  with  a 
startled  face.  "  I  do  not  like  this  summons,"  she 


154  AN  IMPERIA L  LO VER. 

said,  "  or  the  hour.     Is  it  necessary  to  obey,  Phi- 
lippe?    Can  you  not  evade  it?" 

I  sh6ok  my  head.  "Impossible,"  I  replied; 
"  moreover,  I  have  nothing  to  fear.  The  gravest 
offence  would  be  a  refusal  to  obey.  Take  com- 
fort, my  wife ;  you  are  too  brave  a  woman  to  be 
anxious  over  a  trifle." 

In  spite  of  my  reassuring  words,  she  accom- 
panied me  to  the  door  with  a  grave  face,  and 
when  I  looked  back  I  saw  her  graceful  figure 
outlined  against  the  light,  like  a  picture  framed 
by  the  doorway. 

Pierrot  attended  me,  and,  escorted  by  the  mes- 
senger, we  walked  directly  to  the  Kremlin  at  a 
rapid  pace.  I  had  small  leisure  for  reflection,  but 
could  not  forbear  some  speculation  upon  the 
cause  of  this  summons.  No  explanation  offered 
itself,  but  the  thought  of  the  Swedish  spy  and 
Yury  Apraxin,  and  I  was  therefore  wholly  unpre- 
pared for  the  humor  in  which  I  found  the  czar. 
The  equerry  conducted  me  to  a  private  entrance 
of  the  palace,  and  the  wicket  was  opened  by  one 
of  the  court  dwarfs.  We  ascended  a  long  narrow 
flight  of  stairs,  and  were  admitted  to  Peter's  private 
apartments.  Pierrot  remaining  at  the  entrance,  I 
was  ushered  into  a  long  gallery,  which  could  be 
entered  by  two  doors,  one  being  at  either  end, 
and  there  I  remained  for  some  moments  alone. 
The  place  was  lighted  by  three  lamps,  swung  by 
chains  from  the  low  vaulted  ceiling,  and  the  whole 


AN  INTERCEPTED  LETTER.  155 

gallery  was  decorated  in  dark  red  and  blue  and 
gold.  Two  narrow  windows  looked  out  upon  the 
domes  of  the  Kremlin,  shining  in  the  moonlight; 
on  the  other  side,  through  a  golden  lattice,  I  could 
see  the  tapers  gleaming  on  an  iconostase  in  one  of 
the  private  chapels.  The  whole  effect  was  one  of 
Oriental  color  and  splendor.  It  must  have  been  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  before  the  door  at  the  farther 
end  was  opened  quickly  and  Peter  entered  unat- 
tended. The  moment  that  I  beheld  him,  I  knew 
that  there  had  been  a  paroxysm  of  rage  and  that 
he  was  suffering  from  its  effects.  His  dress  was 
disordered,  his  shirt  thrown  open  at  the  throat, 
displaying  his  brawny  neck ;  his  face  was  deeply 
flushed,  and  he  wore  no  peruke,  his  own  dark 
hair  hanging  dishevelled  on  his  temples,  and  his 
eyes  were  brilliant  with  anger.  He  came  striding 
towards  me  with  the  air  of  a  common  brawler 
rather  than  a  king,  and  I  saw  that  he  held  a  paper 
in  his  hand.  Not  knowing  what  to  anticipate,  I 
prepared  for  some  outburst,  but  it  was  difficult  to 
master  my  astonishment  when,  without  replying 
to  my  obeisance,  he  thrust  the  letter  into  my 
hand,  exclaiming, — 

"Explain  that,  sir!  " 

Collecting  my  thoughts,  I  slowly  smoothed  out 
the  crumpled  paper,  and  suppressed  a  start  with 
an  effort  when  I  saw  Catherine  Shavronsky's  letter 
to  me  that  I  had  left  in  my  own  lodgings.  The 
czar's  eyes  were  searching  my  face,  but  I  lifted  my 


156  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

brows  with  assumed  surprise  and  looked  at  him 
with  composure. 

"  It  is  addressed  to  me,"  I  said  quietly ;  "  but  as 
it  has  been  received  by  your  Majesty,  doubtless 
the  explanation  would  be  easier  for  those  who 
delivered  it  at  the  palace." 

Peter  was  no  hair-splitter ;  he  looked  at  me  with 
scorn.  "The  letter  was  on  its  way  to  you,  M.  de 
Brousson,"  he  said  sharply;  "the  fac-simile  of  it 
was  delivered  to  you,  but  this  is  the  original. 
Am  I  to  understand  that  I  have  a  traitor  in 
Mentchikofs  household,  that  my  affairs  are  be- 
trayed to  the  King  of  France?" 

I  drew  myself  up  haughtily,  and  looked  the  czar 
straight  in  the  eye. 

"  Your  Majesty  forgets  that  you  address  a  mar- 
shal of  France,"  I  replied  coldly;  "a  soldier  can- 
not descend  to  the  level  of  a  spy.  Any  man  but 
the  czar  would  answer  for  those  words  at  the  point 
of  the  sword." 

His  cheek  flushed  darkly,  but  he  was  not  without 
generosity.  "  High  words,  Marechal  de  Brous- 
son," he  said  impatiently;  "but  I  did  not  accuse 
you,  but  —  "  he  hesitated  and  then  went  on  frankly, 
"  I  accused  Catherine  Sbavronsky." 

I  was  delicately  placed  and  required  patience. 
"Your  Majesty,"  I  replied  calmly,  "I  have  ever 
regarded  Mademoiselle  Catherine  as  a  devoted 
subject  of  the  czar." 

He  took  two  turns  across  the  gallery,  his  face 


AN  INTERCEPTED  LETTER.  157 

working  as  it  did  at  times,  and  his  eyes  on  the 
ground.  Then  he  faced  me,  and  I  saw  that  he  was 
more  composed. 

"  M.  de  Brousson,"  he  said  hoarsely,  "  I  would 
send  her  to  a  nunnery  to-morrow,  I  would  send 
her  to  Archangel,  if  I  believed  what  they  would 
have  me  believe  of  that  letter.  If  she  writes 
these  notes  to  you,  it  will  be  well  to  warn  her 
that  she  does  so  at  her  peril.  These  women 
think  that  because  they  are  beautiful,  Peter  is 
too  great  a  fool  to  give  them  their  deserts,  but  I 
will  tolerate  no  traitor,  petticoated  or  not,  about 
my  person.  I  will  have  satisfaction  !  " 

He  stood  there  looking  at  me  like  a  thunder- 
cloud, his  great  figure  towering  in  the  poorly 
lighted  gallery  and  his  large  eyes  full  of  passion. 

"  Your  Majesty,"  I  said  calmly,  and  with  what 
dignity  I  could  command,  "  I  am  a  subject  of  the 
King  of  France,  and  it  is  outside  of  my  province 
to  detect  traitors  here,  neither  do  threats  prevail 
with  such.  If  I  have  erred  through  ignorance, 
and  violated  the  courtesy  and  respect  due  to 
your  person,  I  crave  your  Majesty's  indulgence. 
For  Mademoiselle  Shavronsky  I  am  in  no  way 
responsible." 

"By  our  Lady,  M.  I'Ambassadeur,"  he  ex- 
claimed with  violent  excitement,  "  she  is  the 
traitor  to  pen  such  lines  to  a  stranger  and  a 
Frenchman.  I  would  rather  give  up  the  Neva 
to  Charles  of  Sweden  than  have  my  heart  and 


158  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

thoughts  betrayed  to  a  foreign  court!  I  have 
trusted  her  too  deeply,  there  is  no  truth  in 
woman !  " 

His  voice  rose  as  he  spoke,  and  his  lips  quiv- 
ered with  passion.  He  was  a  man  of  strong 
emotions,  violent  and  erratic.  I  stood  silent; 
there  was  nothing  that  I  could  say  with  safety, 
and  I  folded  my  arms  and  leaned  against  the 
arras,  regarding  him  with  keen  interest.  He  was 
muttering  to  himself  in  German,  the  language  that 
he  loved  and  used  most  frequently.  I  caught  the 
name  of  Mentchikof,  coupled  with  such  expres- 
sions as  "  mein  Bruder"and  "  mein  Herz."  He 
felt  that  he  had  been  betrayed  in  the  house  of 
his  friend.  Suddenly  looking  up,  he  caught  my 
eye,  and  perhaps  read  my  secret  amazement  that 
a  sovereign  could  so  far  forget  the  reserve  that 
belonged  to  his  dignity. 

"  M.  de  Brousson,"  he  said,  speaking  with  more 
composure,  "  I  forget  that  you  are  a  stranger. 
You  have  seen  me  in  a  moment  of  weakness.  A 
king  should  scorn  the  intrigues  of  women,  and  my 
heart  is  indeed  with  the  state  ;  my  most  earnest 
thoughts  are  with  the  commonweal.  It  is  only 
when  the  man  feels  the  sting  of  deceit  and  of 
treachery  that  he  forgets  that  he  is  royal.  To 
rule  an  empire  is  to  be  a  friendless  human  being," 
he  added,  with  a  touch  of  passionate  sadness. 

I  was  strongly  moved.  I  knew  that  he  was  too 
far  in  advance  of  his  countrymen,  too  far  above 


AN  INTERCEPTED  LETTER.  159 

the  level  of  mediocrity,  to  be  in  touch  with  sym- 
pathy. The  isolation  of  this  strange  and  violent 
man  was  almost  complete,  and  all  at  once  I  un- 
derstood that  mayhap  he  really  cared  for  made- 
moiselle's love;  that  he  craved  one  single  human 
heart,  amid  the  adulation  of  a  court.  I  remem- 
bered how  Mademoiselle  de  la  Valliere's  devotion 
to  Louis  XIV.  had  contrasted  with  the  intrigues 
of  her  successor. 

"  Your  Majesty,"  I  said  in  a  low  voice,  "  to  be 
exalted  is  to  be  alone.  The  rulers  of  the  world 
stand  before  the  nations  in  splendid  solitude." 

His  stormy  mood  was  passing,  and  his  face  be- 
gan to  assume  its  natural  expression.  Something 
in  my  speech  stung  him.  He  took  another  quick 
turn  across  the  gallery,  and  then  paused  before 
me,  his  eagle  eye  searching  my  face. 

"M.  le  Marechal,"  he  said  abruptly,  "you  are 
a  brave  man  and  a  true.  You  have  seen  Peter  of 
Russia  in  an  hour  of  weakness,  betrayed  by  a 
woman.  It  is  unworthy  of  me  and  of  your  re- 
membrance. Forget  it !  " 

I  made  an  obeisance.  "  Your  Majesty,  it  is 
already  forgotten,"  I  replied. 

He  responded  with  a  dignified  gesture,  which 
was  at  once  an  acknowledgment  and  a  dismissal, 
and  turning  from  me  walked  slowly  down  the 
gallery  and  went  out  at  the  other  end,  closing  the 
door  behind  him,  and  leaving  me  with  Catherine's 
ill-starred  letter  in  my  hand. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

UNDER  A  CLOUD. 

I  WAS  awakened  early  the  following  morning 
by  Ze"naTde,  who  brought  me  a  summons  from 
Mentchikof,  —  a  few  lines  in  French,  asking  me 
to  come  to  his  house  at  my  earliest  convenience. 
I  read  the  note  with  a  smile. 

"This  also  is  the  outcome  of  Mademoiselle 
Catherine's  letter,"  I  remarked.  "  May  the  saints 
teach  women  to  keep  their  pens  from  paper." 

"  Such  a  woman  cannot  live  without  intrigue," 
my  wife  replied ;  "  she  may  be  remarkable,  but 
she  is  not  pure  of  soul." 

"  My  love,  we  have  nothing  to  do  with  her 
soul,"  I  remarked  indifferently;  "she  is  a  splendid 
creature,  but  she  is  also  the  daughter  of  a  peasant. 
A  few  more  letters,  however,  will  send  her  where 
neither  beauty  nor  ambition  nor  intrigue  will 
save  her." 

"  In  which  case  it  will  be  difficult  to  rescue 
Mademoiselle  Zotof  for  M.  de  Lambert,"  my  wife 
said  astutely. 

"  Upon  my  soul,"  I  retorted,  "  I  am  half  in- 
clined to  sympathize  with  the  czar.  If  this  young 


UNDER  A    CLOUD.  l6l 

Frenchman  had  not  crossed  mademoiselle's  path, 
she  would,  no  doubt,  have  rejoiced  at  the  thought 
of  becoming  Czarina  of  Russia;  and,  after  all,  is 
she  not  making  a  mistake?  Peter  is  a  goodly  man." 

Madame  de  Brousson  uttered  an  exclamation 
of  disgust.  "  You  have  no  sentiment,  M.  le 
Vicomte,"  she  said.  "  I  often  marvel  that  you 
were  so  romantic  twenty-one  years  ago." 

"  The  provocation  was  great,  madame,"  I  re- 
plied, smiling ;  "  you  forget  that." 

Half  an  hour  later,  I  was  entering  the  court- 
yard of  Mentchikof's  palace.  It  was  unusually 
quiet;  not  even  a  groom  loitered  by  the  gates, 
and  I  was  surprised  that  the  master  of  the  estab- 
lishment was  within  when  there  were  so  few  signs 
of  attendance.  The  steward  who  answered  my 
inquiry,  however,  corrected  my  mistake ;  Ment- 
chikof  was  absent,  but  Madame  Golovin  desired 
to  speak  to  me.  Supposing  that  Mentchikof  had 
been  called  away  and  had  left  his  message  with 
his  sister,  I  followed  the  steward  up  the  broad 
stairs,  and  through  three  of  the  long  salons,  into 
a  small  apartment,  evidently  dedicated  to  Madame 
Golovin,  for  it  was  furnished  with  all  a  woman's 
fanciful  belongings,  and  hung  with  gay  tapestries. 
Madame  kept  me  waiting  but  a  few  minutes,  and 
came  in  with  a  pale  face.  She  greeted  me  cor- 
dially, but  her  manner  was  abrupt  and  anxious. 

"  We  are  in  trouble,  M.  le  Marechal,"  she  said 
at  once,  "  and  Mademoiselle  Shavronsky  sent  for 

ii 


1 62  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

you.  She  has  made  a  painful  discovery.  Give 
her  what  comfort  and  counsel  you  can.  My 
brother  is  with  the  czar." 

I  was  not  in  doubt  as  to  the  nature  of  their 
trouble,  and  felt  my  position  to  be  peculiarly  deli- 
cate. Madame  Golovin,  however,  did  not  wait  for 
a  reply,  but  conducted  me  to  the  apartment  where 
I  had  last  seen  Catherine.  At  the  door  madame 
paused  and  whispered  to  me. 

"  Be  gentle,  M.  le  Marechal,"  she  said.  "  Made- 
moiselle is  overwrought,  and  may  speak  unjustly, 
even  wildly ;  but  I  trust  your  forbearance." 

"  I  am  at  your  service,  madame,"  I  replied  with 
a  gesture  of  reassurance. 

She  looked  at  me  keenly,  and  I  saw  her  lips 
compress,  but  after  an  instant's  hesitation  she 
threw  open  the  door  and  we  entered  unannounced. 
Near  the  threshold  sat  a  young  Russian  girl,  play- 
ing upon  a  lute  and  singing  a  wild  Cossack  melody 
in  a  voice  that  seemed  to  me  to  have  only  a  keen 
high  note  that  pierced  the  ear  and  could  scarcely 
have  possessed  the  magic  of  consolation.  Madame 
hushed  the  music  with  a  sign,  and  we  passed  on  to 
the  other  end  of  the  room,  where,  on  a  pile  of 
cushions  and  furs,  lay  the  Livonian.  As  we  ap- 
proached, she  rose  and  confronted  us.  I  saw  a 
great  change  in  her  face ;  it  was  colorless,  and  her 
large  dark  eyes  were  full  of  emotion ;  her  flaxen 
hair  had  escaped  its  bonds  and  hung  in  masses  on 
her  shoulders. 


UNDER  A    CLOUD.  163 

"  M.  de  Brousson,"  she  exclaimed  without  pref- 
ace, "  did  you  receive  a  letter  from  me  last  night?  " 

I  smiled ;  it  seemed  to  me  that  she  would  at 
last  profit  by  her  lesson. 

"  I  received  it,  mademoiselle,"  I  said  quietly. 

A  look  of  relief  came  over  her  face.  "  You  re- 
ceived it,"  she  repeated,  coming  a  step  nearer  and 
looking  searchingly  at  my  face;  "had  it  been  tam- 
pered with,  monsieur?" 

I  returned  her  glance  calmly.  "  It  had,  made- 
moiselle," I  replied  in  a  low  voice. 

In  an  instant  the  cloud  came  back  to  her  face, 
and  she  clasped  her  hands.  "  Alas !  "  she  ex- 
claimed, "we  are  undone." 

Madame  Golovin  made  some  sign  to  stay  her 
impetuosity,  but  it  was  without  effect.  Catherine's 
nature  was  fully  as  impulsive  and  passionate  as 
that  of  the  czar. 

"  M.  le  Mare"chal,"  she  said,  "my  unhappy  letter 
was  taken  from  my  messenger,  and  must  have  been 
opened  before  it  was  delivered  to  you." 

"  Doubtless,  mademoiselle,"  I  said,  determined 
to  allow  her  to  talk  rather  than  to  talk  myself. 
"  It  is  unfortunate  to  write  anything  unless  you  are 
certain  of  the  messenger." 

She  made  a  gesture  of  impatience.  "  He  was 
trusty  enough,"  she  said,  "  but  was  overpowered 
and  the  letter  taken  from  him ;  he  knew  nothing 
more  of  its  fate.  This  morning  Mentchikof  was 
summoned  by  the  czar,  a  peremptory  message. 


1 64  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

Alas,  monsieur,  we  fear  that  the  unhappy  billet 
has  reached  his  Majesty." 

She  was  standing  close  to  me,  her  hands  clasped 
and  her  eyes  fastened  on  my  face.  I  felt  her  glance 
searching  me,  although  I  did  not  meet  it,  but  stood 
gazing  at  the  logs  that  were  blazing  in  the  great 
chimney. 

"  Mademoiselle,"  I  said  quietly,  "  I  am  old 
enough  to  be  your  father,  therefore  permit  me 
to  advise  you.  It  is  true  that  I  have  not  been 
so  much  at  court  as  in  the  camp,  but  I  am  not 
without  my  experience.  Never  write  anything, 
mademoiselle,  that  can  be  conveyed  by  word  of 
mouth ;  never  write  plainly  if  you  write*  at  all. 
That  which  is  written  is  written." 

"  Alas !  "  she  exclaimed,  "  you  are  a  man,  it  is 
easy  for  you  to  be  always  cautious.  I  have  been 
foolish.  I  see  it  and  deplore  it,  but  must  I  suffer 
for  the  fault  of  too  much  anxiety?  My  heart 
misgives  me !  I  fear  that  evil  will  come  of  it." 
Then  turning  to  me  abruptly,  she  added,  "  Have 
you  heard  anything  of  the  letter  save  from 
me?" 

"I  heard  of  it  last  night,  mademoiselle,"  I  ad- 
mitted reluctantly. 

She  started,  and  caught  my  sleeve.  "  Tell  me 
all,  monsieur,"  she  cried ;  "  had  it  reached  the  pal- 
ace? Who  spoke  of  it  to  you?  " 

"  The  czar." 

My  words  were  spoken    low,  but  a  pistol-shot 


UNDER  A    CLOUD.  165 

could  scarcely  have  shocked  her  more.  She  re- 
leased my  arm  and  started  back,  her  face  flushing 
scarlet  and  then  becoming  deadly  pale.  It  was  a 
moment  of  weakness,  and  I  pitied  her.  She  was  a 
strong  woman,  a  woman  of  will  and  brain,  but  she 
knew  the  peril  of  her  situation,  and  for  the  moment 
tottered  under  the  blow,  while  Madame  Golovin 
sank  down  upon  a  chair,  completely  unnerved. 
Catherine  was  the  first  to  recover. 

"  You  saw  him,"  she  exclaimed ;  "  was  he  vio- 
lently angry?  " 

I  was  most  reluctant  to  speak.  I  neither  desired 
to  alarm  her  nor  to  betray  the  czar,  but  saw  that  she 
would  have  an  answer.  . 

"  Mademoiselle,"  I  said  gently,  "  I  am  sorry  to 
be  able  to  give  you  no  comfort.  His  Majesty  was 
sorely  displeased." 

"  He  had  —  seen  the  letter?  "  she  faltered. 

"  He  had  the  letter,"  I  replied. 

"  Yet  you  also  received  it,"  she  exclaimed  with 
momentary  dulness  ;  "  I  do  not  understand." 

"  Mine  was  a  copy,  mademoiselle,"  I  replied 
quietly  ;  "  his  Majesty  had  the  original." 

She  was  silent,  her  face  pale  with  contending 
emotions.  She  was  far  too  clever  not  to  realize 
her  position  and  all  its  perils,  but  she  was  also  a 
woman  of  resource,  and  I  saw  that  it  was  not  de- 
spair that  had  overcome  her,  —  far  from  it.  Her 
quick  wit  was  searching  for  some  expedient  that 
would  deliver  her  from  the  snare  into  which  her 


1 66  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

own  folly  had  led  her.  Madame  Golovin,  her 
fellow  conspirator,  on  the  other  hand,  gave  way  to 
her  feelings.  She  foresaw  not  only  the  fall  of 
Catherine,  but  that  of  her  brother,  which  would 
involve  the  ruin  of  her  husband. 

"Alas!"  she  exclaimed,  "we  shall  share  the 
fate  of  Prince  Basil  Galitsyn,  of  Sophia,  of  Eu- 
doxia.  Exile,  imprisonment,  perhaps  death  ! " 

Catherine  glanced  at  her  with  contempt.  Her 
own  nature  had  rallied  to  meet  the  crisis,  and  she 
looked  more  queenly  at  that  moment  than  ever 
before.  There  were  no  tears,  there  was  no  weak- 
ness; if  disaster  came,  she  would  face  it  with 
unflinching  courage. 

"M.  de  Brousson,"  she  said  quietly,  "what  did 
the  czar  say  ?  " 

"Mademoiselle,"  I  replied  with  dignity,  "you 
forget  to  whom  you  speak.  It  is  not  for  me  to 
repeat  the  words  of  his  Majesty.  It  would  be 
conduct  worthy  a  court  spy,  but  not  of  a  marshal 
of  France. " 

She  bit  her  lip,  for  the  moment  baffled,  and 
the  blood  rose  to  her  brow. 

"Pardon  me,  M.  1'Ambassadeur,"  she  exclaimed 
bitterly ;  "  I  forgot  that  a  diplomat  could  have  no 
feeling  for  an  unhappy  woman." 

"You  do  me  an  injustice,  mademoiselle,"  I 
exclaimed  with  impatience;  " I  would  gladly  serve 
you,  as  far  as  my  honor  permits  me.  I  would  ad- 
vise you  now  with  sincerity,  if  you  would  allow  me. " 


UNDER   A    CLOUD.  167 

"Ah,  M.  le  Marshal,  help  us  if  you  can!" 
Madame  Golovin  exclaimed  with  feeling. 

"We  would  be  your  debtors,"  Catherine  added, 
with  less  excitement,  giving  me  a  haughty  glance, 
which  I  interpreted  to  signify  that  she  would 
remember  my  refusal  to  answer  her,  if  she  ever 
mounted  the  ladder  of  success,  and  remember  it 
to  my  cost. 

"Mademoiselle  Shavronsky,"  I  said  calmly, 
"  I  would  advise  you  to  go  to  the  czar,  and,  con- 
fessing your  error  frankly,  pray  his  forgiveness. 
His  Majesty  is  generous  to  a  fault,  and  his  anger 
passes  like  a  cloud  before  the  sun." 

"M.  de  Brousson  is  right,  Catherine,"  madame 
exclaimed;  "the  czar  is  generous.  Remember 
that,  for  your  sake,  he  forgave  Yury  Apraxin." 

But  Catherine  shook  her  head.  She  knew  that 
the  offence  was  of  a  different  nature,  and  knew 
also  that  if  Peter  pardoned  her  with  indifference 
her  defeat  would  be  as  certain  as  a  decree  of  exile. 
She  was  essentially  a  proud  woman,  and  half  the 
sting  of  her  position  lay  in  the  thought  of  the 
triumph  of  the  Zotofs.  Madame  Golovin's  ner- 
vous terror  had  no  response  in  her  heart ;  a  bold 
nature  like  hers  is  untouched  by  little  fears.  She 
was  playing  for  high  stakes,  and  knew  that  to  lose 
would  involve  not  only  her  own  ruin,  but  that  of 
others,  and  was  ready  to  play  desperately.  Look- 
ing at  her  face,  gloomy  and  disturbed  as  it  was,  I 
was  convinced  that  the  hour  had  come  for  Made- 


1 68  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

moiselle  Zotof  to  be  cautious;  this  woman  would 
sacrifice  her  dearest  friend  to  gain  her  ends.  It 
had  gone  too  far  for  retreat,  and  she  was  begin- 
ning, no  doubt,  to  hate  the  young  girl  who  stood 
between  her  and  her  ambition.  I  thought  of  the 
poisoned  sweetmeat,  and  wondered  a  little  if 
Catherine  would  have  regretted  fatal  consequences 
if  they  had  resulted  from  it.  Najine's  demise 
would  be  such  an  easy  solution  of  one  of  her  diffi- 
culties that  it  presented  a  perilous  temptation. 

My  position  was  difficult,  and  I  was  casting 
about  for  a  pretext  to  withdraw,  when  the  door 
was  thrown  open  and  Alexander  Mentchikof  en- 
tered. He  did  not,  at  the  moment,  notice  me, 
and  came  across  the  room  with  a  rapid  step,  his 
face  clouded  with  some  deep  anxiety.  Madame 
and  Catherine  both  stood  looking  at  him  with 
eager  inquiry,  oblivious  of  my  presence. 

"  It  is  as  we  thought,  and  worse  than  we 
thought,"  he  exclaimed,  and  then,  discovering  me, 
stopped  short  and  broke  out  with  a  hard  laugh. 
"On  my  word,  M.  le  Vicomte,"  he  said,  "I  did 
not  see  you.  But  it  is  of  little  consequence; 
it  appears  that  we  can  keep  no  secrets  in  this 
household." 

"The  czar  sent  for  M.  de  Brousson  last  night," 
Catherine  said  quietly;  "therefore  he  knew  more 
than  we." 

I  made  haste  to  seize  upon  this  opportunity  to 
depart.  "By  your  leave,  I  will  not  intrude  fur- 


UNDER  A   CLOUD.  169 

ther  upon  your  confidence,"  I  said;  "madame  and 
mademoiselle,  I  bid  you  adieu." 

Madame  Golovin  responded  warmly,  but  Cath- 
erine's reply  was  haughty.  She  had  not  yet  for- 
given my  implied  rebuke,  and  was  visiting  her 
folly  on  my  head.  Mentchikof  walked  with  me 
to  the  head  of  the  stairs,  and  I  was  never  more 
impressed  with  his  grace  of  manner.  Anxious 
and  disturbed  as  he  was,  he  did  not  forget  the 
courtesy  of  the  host.  As  we  stood  a  moment 
before  parting,  he  laid  his  hand  on  my  arm. 

"M.  le  Marechal,"  he  said  in  a  low  tone,  "tell 
M.  de  Lambert  that  the  hour  has  come  when 
Mademoiselle  Zotof  must  either  escape  to  France 
or  be  sacrificed." 

I  looked  gravely  into  his  face,  and  read  deter- 
mination in  his  eyes. 

"Monsieur,"  I  said  quietly,  "you  mean  that 
mademoiselle  will  be  a  czarina." 

"I  do  not!"  he  replied  emphatically;  "she 
shall  not  be.  There  is  a  party  yet  at  court  strong 
enough  to  defeat  her,  even  if  Catherine's  folly  has 
ruined  her  cause;  the  other  faction  shall  not  tri- 
umph. Do  you  think  me  so  poor  a  fool  ?  Zotof 
is  a  braggart,  an  old  fossil ;  he  could  never  hold 
the  regard  of  the  czar.  The  beauty  of  the  niece 
may  have  touched  the  royal  heart,  but  the  wit 
of  the  uncle  will  never  establish  her  upon  a 
throne. " 

Remarking  his  somber  expression,  I  began  to 


170  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

apprehend  serious  trouble  for  mademoiselle,  and 
made  an  effort  to  turn  his  purpose. 

"Remember,  M.  Mentchikof,"  I  said,  "that 
mademoiselle  is  a  young  girl,  and  I  think  I  may 
safely  say  that  her  heart  is  in  French  keeping; 
therefore  be  patient  in  your  thoughts  of  her, 
however  angry  towards  Zotof. " 

He  looked  back  at  me  with  an  unmoved  coun- 
tenance. 

"M.  1'Ambassadeur,"  he  replied,  in  his  suave 
way,  "I  have  no  doubt  of  mademoiselle's  inno- 
cence; it  is  as  conspicuous  as  her  beauty,  but 
both  are  dangerous.  Statesmen  cannot  see  their 
dearest  wishes,  their  favorite  ambitions  swept 
aside  for  the  sake  of  a  young  girl.  If  mademoi- 
selle desires  to  live  long  and  happily,  let  her 
avoid  the  dizzy  paths  to  eminence.  Greatness  has 
its  peculiar  perils,  and  she  who  would  wear  a 
crown  must  seek  it  at  the  risk  of  her  head.  I 
speak  thus  freely,  monsieur,  not  because  I  bear 
ill-will  to  mademoiselle,  but  because  I  feel  so 
much  for  her  youth  and  her  helplessness  that  I 
warn  her  that  the  steps  of  the  throne  are  slippery 
—  with  blood." 

I  had  descended  a  little  way  and  stood  below 
him  on  the  stair,  looking  up  at  his  graceful  figure 
and  handsome  face. 

"Yet,  monsieur,"  I  said  lightly,  "you  are  will- 
ing to  risk  one  of  your  own  particular  friends." 

He  smiled,  and  the  fire  kindled  in  his  eyes. 


UNDER  A    CLOUD.  \>J\ 

"Ah,  monsieur,"  he  returned,  "some  women  are 
born  to  walk  where  others  fear  to  creep.  I  am  a 
believer  in  destiny  !  " 

And   I   left  him  standing  there   with  a  smile 
upon  his  lips. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

TWO  WARNINGS. 

I  WALKED  away  from  Mentchikof's  house  with 
a  heavy  heart.  I  knew  that  Najine's  position 
was  dangerous,  and  that  Catherine's  folly  had 
turned  the  scale  in  Zotof's  favor.  The  favorite 
would  never  have  uttered  his  veiled  threat  against 
mademoiselle  unless  he  felt  that  she  held  the  key 
to  the  situation,  that  the  czar  was  prepared  to  let 
his  inclinations  govern  him  at  last,  and  would 
take  some  step  towards  publicly  declaring  his 
choice  to  be  the  young  girl  who  had  bewitched 
him.  I  knew  that  he  had  wavered  between  the 
two  women,  the  one  whom  he  already  loved  and 
the  one  who  loved  him ;  but  now  that  the  latter 
had  been  betrayed  into  something  that  savored  so 
closely  of  treason,  he  would  naturally  turn  to  the 
young  woman  who  by  birth  and  education  was 
best  fitted  to  succeed  the  Czarina  Eudoxia.  Cath- 
erine, the  Livonian  peasant  girl,  might  be  the 
toy  of  the  hour,  but  Najine  would  be  the  Czarina 
of  Russia.  Poor  mademoiselle,  my  heart  was 
touched  whenever  I  remembered  the  expression 
of  her  dark  blue  eyes  when  she  listened  to  my 


TWO    WARNINGS. 


173 


eulogium  of  her  lover.  How  little  would  her 
opposition  avail  her  if  Peter  was  determined  to 
wed  her!  Her  family  would  be  solid  in  the  sup- 
port of  her  imperial  lover,  a  crown  would  tempt 
her,  an  autocrat  compel  her;  and  yet,  when  I  re- 
called the  haughty  pose  of  her  head,  I  wondered  if 
they  would  find  her  as  pliable  as  they  supposed. 
Poor  M.  de  Lambert !  What  evil  fate  had  turned 
his  fancy  into  the  same  channel  as  a  king's?  My 
friend  was  recovered  from  his  wound  and  was  as 
headstrong  as  ever ;  and  what  would  come  of  it  ? 

I  walked  slowly  to  my  quarters,  revolving  many 
things  in  my  mind,  and  so  absorbed  that  I  scarcely 
noticed  the  men  whom  I  passed,  although  it  was 
an  hour  before  noon,  and  the  streets  were  full; 
but  I  had  the  habit  of  preoccupation  and  could  be 
solitary  in  a  crowd.  When  I  turned  into  the 
lane  behind  my  lodgings,  however,  I  became  sud- 
denly aware  that  some  one  was  following  me,  and 
looking  back  saw  the  Swede,  Gustavus  Lenk.  I 
halted  and  signed  to  him  to  approach,  which  he 
did  readily  enough,  thus  refuting  a  momentary 
doubt  of  his  integrity. 

"Why  do  you  follow  me?"  I  asked,  a  trifle 
sharply. 

"  I  was  waiting  for  an  opportunity  to  speak  to 
you,  my  lord,"  he  replied  quietly;  "I  did  not 
like  to  stop  you  on  the  open  street,  so  many  are 
abroad  to-day." 

"You  have  some  tidings  for  my  ear  alone?"  I 


1/4  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

inquired,  marvelling  a  little  at  the  man's  strange 
gratitude  to  us. 

"Your  Excellency,"  he  began,  hesitating  a  trifle, 
"am  I  mistaken  in  thinking  that  the  young 
Frenchman  who  was  attacked  by  the  bridge  is 
interested  in  the  family  of  the  Councillor  Zotof  ?  " 

I  was  not  a  little  surprised.  "  You  are  not  mis- 
taken," I  replied  at  once;  "have  you  any  tidings 
of  them?" 

"I  do  not  spy  upon  these  people  myself,"  he 
said,  his  face  flushing  under  my  eyes ;  "  but  others 
do,  and  information  reaches  me.  It  is  rumored 
that  the  czar  will  select  the  niece  of  Zotof  for  his 
bride,  and  it  is  whispered,  also,  that  she  herself  is 
in  danger  from  the  jealousy  of  others." 

I  listened  gravely;  he  was  not  telling  me  any- 
thing new,  and  yet  it  was  a  shock  to  have  my  own 
worst  fears  confirmed. 

"I  thank  you,"  I  said  briefly.  "Any  tidings 
that  you  can  bring  us  will  be  welcome;  any  ser- 
vice that  you  can  render  to  mademoiselle  will  be 
as  much  esteemed  as  a  service  to  one  of  us." 
Remembering  that  he  had  accepted  my  wife's  gift, 
I  drew  a  ring  from  my  finger  and  gave  it  to  him. 
"Accept  it,"  I  said,  "not  only  as  an  acknowledg- 
ment, but  if  any  trouble  threatens  mademoiselle 
or  M.  de  Lambert,  send  it  to  me  as  a  signal." 

He  thanked  me  and  put  it  on  his  hand,  and 
then,  as  I  was  turning  away,  stopped  me  again. 

"Your  Excellency,"  he  said,  "you  yourself  are 


TWO    WARNINGS.  175 

constantly  shadowed,  not  only  by  Prince  Dol- 
goruky's  man  Tikhon,  but  by  Apraxin,  who  has 
returned  within  a  few  days  and  is  watching  Ma- 
demoiselle Zotof  and  you." 

Without  being  surprised,  I  was  not  entirely 
prepared  for  this  information,  and  it  was  far  from 
agreeable. 

"Was  I  followed  just  now? "  I  asked. 

"All  the  way  to  Mentchikof's  palace,"  he  an- 
swered quietly;  "and  if  I  mistake  not,  there  is  a 
fellow  loitering  now  at  the  end  of  the  lane." 

We  both  looked  back,  and  it  seemed  to  me  that 
I  saw  a  man  draw  back  into  the  corner  of  the  wall. 
I  shrugged  my  shoulders. 

"They  will  find  it  a  weary  task,"  I  remarked, 
and  with  a  few  more  words  of  thanks  I  dismissed 
him  and  went  on  to  my  own  door.  Entering,  I 
inquired  for  M.  de  Lambert,  and  found  that  he 
had  just  returned  from  his  first  walk  abroad  since 
his  wound,  and  I  went  at  once  to  his  room. 

He  was  reclining  in  a  large  chair  by  the  fire, 
and  his  pallor  startled  me;  yet  it  was  more  the 
contrast  between  his  face  and  the  dark  coat  he 
wore  than  the  color  of  his  complexion.  But  his 
wound  and  the  enforced  confinement  had  told 
upon  him,  and  he  looked  thin  and  weary,  although 
he  greeted  me  with  a  smile  and  an  expectant 
expression. 

"A  dull  day,  monsieur,"  I  said,  "and  dull  news. 
Let  me  sit  by  your  fire." 


176  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER, 

"  The  heat  is  grateful  after  the  frosty  atmosphere 
without,"  he  replied,  as  I  seated  myself  opposite. 

"I  am  beginning  to  grow  old,  I  believe,"  I 
remarked,  laughing,  "since  I  love  the  chimney- 
corner  and  a  blazing  log.  You  have  been  out  to- 
day, they  tell  me. " 

"I  could  endure  my  confinement  no  longer," 
he  answered,  giving  me  a  keen  glance.  "You 
have  some  tidings,  monsieur;  what  are  they?" 

"Nay,"  I  said,  "no  tidings,  M.  de  Lambert. 
I  have  but  now  returned  from  Mentchikof,  and 
for  the  time  a  cloud  obscures  his  glory.  Cathe- 
rine Shavronsky  wrote  a  foolish  letter  —  or  dic- 
tated it  —  a  letter  that  told  too  much  of  both  the 
czar  and  his  favorite  and  also  of  herself.  Of 
course,  the  billet  was  intercepted  and  reached  his 
Majesty.  You  can  picture  the  result." 

"The  poor  fool!"  he  exclaimed  with  impa- 
tience; "has  she  a  longing  for  Archangel?" 

"For  the  crown,  monsieur,"  I  replied,  laugh- 
ing; "but  women  love  the  pen." 

"  And  if  she  is  retired  from  the  court,  there  is 
no  one  to  stand  before  mademoiselle,"  he  ex- 
claimed abruptly,  his  mind  suddenly  grasping  all 
the  consequences.  "Mentchikof  out  of  favor  and 
the  other  party  in  the  ascendant,  Najine  will 
be  the  lamb  for  their  sacrifice." 

I  was  silent,  indeed  there  was  nothing  to  say; 
he  had  outlined  the  situation.  He  rose  from  his 
chair  and  walked  to  the  window  and  looked  out. 


TWO    WARNINGS.  177 

I  saw  that  he  was  too  agitated  to  discuss  the  mat- 
ter, and  I  sat  there  turning  it  over  in  my  mind. 
The  way  that  was  the  simplest  and  most  effectual 
would  be  the  most  dangerous.  I  could  not  advise 
him  to  carry  mademoiselle  off  and  marry  her,  for 
I  felt  sure  that  the  czar  would  not  scruple  to 
throw  him  into  prison  and  declare  the  marriage 
annulled,  in  which  case  it  would  take  all  my  in- 
fluence and  the  threats  of  France  to  save  him ;  as 
for  mademoiselle,  she  would  be  sent  to  a  convent. 
Yet,  for  my  life,  I  could  see  no  other  way.  The 
Zotofs  would  never  admit  his  suit,  Najine  was 
powerless,  and  the  czar  would  send  him  back  to 
France  at  the  first  hint  of  a  marriage.  But,  after 
all,  what  was  the  use  of  my  mature  reasoning  ?  He 
was  a  hot-headed  lover,  and  I  knew  well  that  his 
mind  was  even  now  dwelling  on  some  scheme  to 
cut  the  knot.  My  chief  hope  was  that  Catherine's 
appeal  to  Peter  would  restore  her  to  favor,  as  my 
chief  anxiety  was  the  veiled  threat  of  Alexander 
Mentchikof. 

M.  de  Lambert  turned  from  the  window  and 
stood  regarding  me. 

"I  have  been  there,"  he  said  abruptly,  "and 
they  would  not  admit  me." 

"  You  mean  the  Zotofs  ?  "  I  asked,  glancing  up 
with  surprise. 

"Ay,"  he  replied,  "I  mean  the  Zotofs.  I  went 
openly  to  the  door,  and  was  refused  admittance; 
then  I  went  to  the  back  of  the  house,  scaled  the 

12 


1/8  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

low  wall  of  the  court,  and  walked  beneath  Najine's 
windows,  but  without  result.  There  was  no  sign 
or  token  that  she  was  there. " 

"They  have,  doubtless,  removed  her  to  other 
quarters  since  her  illness,"  I  said.  "  She  is  there, 
I  am  sure,  but  probably  they  know  that  you  are 
on  the  watch.  I  would  be  cautious,  monsieur; 
the  sight  of  you  will  but  increase  their  vigilance. 
You  are  not  yet  recovered  from  the  result  of  your 
temerity,  therefore  recollect  that  you  carry  your 
life  in  your  hand." 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  I  was  a  fool  to 
be  surprised  by  that  murderous  boy,"  he  retorted, 
"  and  if  he  had  not  leaped  on  me  with  a  knife  so 
suddenly,  I  should  have  taught  him  a  lesson;  but 
he  sprang  like  an  animal,  and  had  me  by  the  throat 
with  one  hand,  while  with  the  other  he  struck  the 
blade  into  my  side." 

"And  he  has  returned,"  I  remarked  thought- 
fully; "therefore  it  is  doubly  necessary  to  be 
cautious." 

While  I  was  speaking,  M.  de  Lambert  had  been 
again  looking  from  the  window,  so  intently  that 
he  did  not  heed  me. 

"Pierrot  is  below  in  the  court,"  he  said,  "and 
is  talking  to  one  of  the  czar's  equerries.  They 
have  had  their  heads  together  for  a  quarter  of  an 
hour,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  Pierrot  has  sifted 
the  fellow  as  wheat.  There  is  something  of  in- 
terest, for  the  old  knave  will  not  let  the  equerry 


TWO    WARNINGS.  179 

go;  he  has  him  by  the  cloak  and  is  questioning 
him  with  lip  and  eye.     It  is  a  picture." 

I  rose,  and,  joining  him  at  his  post,  looked  down 
upon  the  two  men  below.  Both  were  too  intent 
to  observe  us,  — the  equerry  endeavoring  to  disen- 
gage himself;  Pierrot  persistent,  gracious,  eager. 
I  laughed  softly.  The  old  rogue  had  not  lost  his 
cunning;  no  one  was  more  clever  at  extracting 
information,  no  one  more  difficult  to  fathom. 

"It  is  a  bit  of  gossip,"  M.  de  Lambert  said. 
"  Look  at  Touchet !  He  is  listening  with  that 
expression  he  wears  when  he  hears  two  people 
speaking  Russ.  Now  and  then  a  gleam  of  abso- 
lute complaisance  crosses  his  face,  when  he  really 
understands  a  sentence;  at  other  times  he  is  the 
picture  of  contemptuous  bewilderment." 

"Pierrot  is  worth  a  hundred  such,"  I  said; 
"men  like  Touchet  come  for  the  asking,  but 
there  are  few  like  Pierrot.  Astute,  cautious,  de- 
voted—  my  cause  is  his." 

"  You  have  the  quality  that  attaches  men  to 
you,  monsieur,"  M.  de  Lambert  rejoined  pleas- 
antly ;  "  it  is  a  good  fortune  to  serve  the  Marechal 
de  Brousson." 

At  this  moment  the  equerry  looked  up,  and, 
seeing  us  at  the  window,  would  be  detained  no 
longer,  but  tearing  himself  away  from  Pierrot 
hurried  across  the  court.  On  the  instant  M.  de 
Lambert  leaned  out,  and  called  to  Pierrot  to  come 
up  to  us. 


ISO  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

"We  must  have  the  news,  monsieur,"  he  said, 
laughing.  "  I  cannot  let  them  keep  that  morsel  for 
themselves. " 

"You  grow  trifling,"  I  remarked  with  a  smile. 

"An  invalid's  privilege,"  he  said.  "My  sick- 
room would  have  been  dull  indeed,  but  for  the 
gossip  they  brought  me." 

As  we  resumed  our  former  seats,  Pierrot  came 
in  and  stood  gravely  awaiting  our  commands. 

"The  tidings,  Pierrot,"  M.  de  Lambert  ex- 
claimed lightly;  "let  us  have  the  tidings." 

I  had  been  observing  Pierrot's  face,  and  read 
there  a  reluctance  to  speak  which  made  me  un- 
easy. He  glanced  at  me  now  before  he  replied. 

"  It  is  but  the  gossip  of  the  court  officials,  mon- 
sieur," he  said,  addressing  M.  de  Lambert,  but 
watching  me  for  a  sign  which  I  did  not  give.  "  It 
may  be  false. " 

"It  must  be  bad  news,  man,"  M.  de  Lambert 
remarked  quickly,  "else  you  would  not  give  it 
such  a  preface." 

"It  is  said,"  Pierrot  continued,  despairing  of 
help  from  me,  "that  his  Majesty  was  closeted  with 
M.  Zotof,  that  M.  Mentchikof  will  be  dismissed, 
and  Mademoiselle  Shavronsky  is  to  go  to  Novo- 
devitchy,  and  — "  He  paused,  stammering  and 
looking  again  at  me. 

"  Go  on ! "  M.  de  Lambert  exclaimed  impa- 
tiently ;  "  have  you  no  tongue,  that  you  cannot  get 
through  so  simple  a  speech?  Let  us  hear  all." 


TWO    WARNINGS.  l8l 

Pierrot  was  desperate,  and  he  straightened  him- 
self and  told  the  rest  without  a  pause,  his  ex- 
pression stolid. 

"  It  is  reported  that  the  czar  has  formally 
declared  his  intention  of  being  married  to  Made- 
moiselle Zotof  within  the  month;  and  although 
this  is  not  publicly  announced,  the  court  officials 
are  preparing  for  the  change." 

M.  de  Lambert's  face  flushed  darkly,  and  he 
leaned  forward  in  his  chair,  listening  eagerly  to 
the  speaker;  but  even  at  the  end  he  uttered  not 
a  word,  but  I  saw  his  brown  eyes  flash  with 
resolution. 

"Is  there  anything  more?  "he  asked  sharply 
after  the  pause,  searching  his  informant's  face. 

Pierrot's  glance  sank  to  the  floor,  and  he  shifted 
his  position  uneasily;  I  knew  that  the  last  was 
the  most  difficult  to  tell. 

"  It  is  said,  monsieur,"  he  replied  in  a  low  tone, 
"  that  Mademoiselle  Zotof  has  signified  her  will- 
ingness to  be  a  —  to  obey  the  czar." 

M.  de  Lambert  sprang  from  his  chair  with  a 
fierce  exclamation.  "  It  is  a  lie  !  "  he  cried  bitterly, 
"  a  worthless,  miserable  lie  !  " 

I  checked  him  with  a  gesture ;  then,  addressing 
my  equerry, — 

"  That  is  all,"  I  said  quietly,  meaning  that  he 
could  go ;  and  he  availed  himself  of  the  opportunity 
with  alacrity,  only  too  glad  to  escape  the  respon- 
sibility of  giving  unpleasant  information.  Mean- 


1 82  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

while  M.  de  Lambert  was  walking  about  the 
room  like  one  possessed. 

"  Did  you  ever  hear  such  a  damnable  lie?  "  he 
exclaimed  angrily;  "the  idlest,  most  miserable 
attempt  to  circulate  a  fable." 

"  On  the  contrary,"  I  replied  thoughtfully,  "  I 
have  expected  some  such  tidings  for  many  days." 

"To  what  do  you  refer,  M.  le  Marshal?"  he 
asked  coldly. 

"  To  the  announcement  of  the  czar's  intentions 
in  regard  to  his  marriage." 

"  It  is  not  that,"  he  said  with  impatience ;  "  it 
is  the  lie  about  Najine,  —  that  she  has  yielded  so 
readily." 

I  smiled.  "  After  all,  monsieur,"  I  rejoined 
gently,  "  are  you  sure  that  she  may  not  have 
changed  her  mind?  The  pressure  must  have 
been  tremendous,  and  she  is  young  and  doubtless 
ambitious." 

He  paused  before  me,  looking  into  my  eyes,  his 
flushed  face  unusually  handsome  in  its  anger. 

"  You  drive  me  mad,  M.  le  Vicomte,"  he  said 
bitterly.  "  I  know  that  I  am  no  match  for  a  czar, 
but  I  judge  mademoiselle's  heart  by  my  own. 
Neither  do  I  believe  her  so  weak  as  to  yield  to  any 
pressure;  she  has  a  noble  spirit.  I  would  stake 
my  life  upon  her  truth." 

I  rose,  and  laid  my  hand  upon  his  shoulder.  "I 
did  but  jest,  Guillaume,"  I  said  kindly.  "  I  have 
often  tried  you  and  never  found  you  wanting.  A 


TWO    WARNINGS.  183 

hot-headed  lover,  but  a  loyal  one.  Mademoiselle 
is  fortunate.  But  plainly,  monsieur,  I  have  no 
doubt  that  the  czar  does  intend  to  wed  her,  and  I 
do  not  at  the  moment  perceive  how  either  you 
or  I  can  prevent  it." 

He  felt  the  truth  of  my  words,  and  stood  looking 
at  the  floor,  his  expression  for  the  first  time 
showing  great  depression. 

"  M.  le  Marechal,"  he  said  at  last,  turning  upon 
me,  "  you  won  Madame  de  Brousson  almost  at  the 
point  of  the  sword;  why  should  I  fail?  Have  I 
not  the  greater  opportunity,  since  I  have  your 
advice  and,  I  trust,  your  aid  too?" 

"  My  aid  certainly,  my  dear  M.  de  Lambert," 
I  replied  heartily,  for  I  really  loved  the  young  man 
for  his  courage  and  his  simplicity. 

"Then  doubtless  I  shall  win,"  he  exclaimed; 
"  you  have  but  to  teach  me  how  you  achieved  your 
victory,  in  the  teeth  of  just  such  difficulties  and 
many  more." 

I  looked  at  him  gravely,  and  shook  my  head. 

"  You  forget,  monsieur,"  T  replied  quietly,  "  my 
rival  was  not  the  czar." 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

A   FAIR   REBEL. 

THAT  evening  I  went  to  the  Kremlin  for  the  sole 
purpose  of  gathering  information,  and  met  with 
signal  failure.  The  czar  was  closeted  with  Prince 
Dolgoruky  and  Sheremetief,  and  the  palace  was 
almost  deserted.  The  few  courtiers  lingering  in 
the  ante-rooms  stared  at  me  curiously,  as  if  they 
knew  of  some  matter  with  which  my  name  was 
connected,  and  I  attributed  their  interest  to  Cathe- 
rine Shavronsky's  unfortunate  letter.  There  are 
no  secrets  at  a  court ;  malice  and  curiosity  pry  out 
every  corner  about  a  throne,  and  I  had  no  doubt 
that  every  particular  of  her  foolish  correspond- 
ence was  known.  I  made  an  effort  to  see  Prince 
Dolgoruky,  but  to  no  purpose,  and  finally  quitted 
the  palace  much  disturbed.  I  could  not  sift  the 
situation,  and  was  uneasy  for  M.  Guillaume,  who 
had  gone  out  again,  in  the  hope  of  communicating 
with  mademoiselle,  although  I  had  endeavored  to 
restrain  his  impetuosity,  fearing  that  some  evil 
would  result  from  it;  but  it  was  impossible  to 
control  him.  He  departed  upon  his  errand,  burn- 
ing with  ardor  to  achieve  some  enterprise,  to 
rescue  Najine,  to  thwart  the  czar.  The  absolute 


A   FAIR  REBEL.  ^5 

recklessness  of  his  courage  made  me  smile.  He 
dashed  at  obstacles  in  his  path,  as  if  he  were  deal- 
ing with  a  man  of  straw,  instead  of  with  one  of  the 
most  resolute  and  autocratic  men  in  the  world. 
It  looked  desperate  to  me,  for  I  knew  that  Mentchi- 
kof  was  under  a  cloud,  and  Catherine  in  a  position 
that  might  terminate  in  exile,  and  the  presence  of 
Dolgoruky  in  the  imperial  closet  boded  ill  for  any 
hopes  of  M.  de  Lambert's  success. 

It  was  early  when  I  reached  my  quarters,  and  I 
was  not  surprised  to  find  that  the  anxious  lover 
had  not  returned  even  to  supper.  Zena'fde  was 
disturbed ;  she  knew  even  more  than  I  about  the 
perils  of  Najine's  position,  and  felt  a  keen  sym- 
pathy for  the  two  lovers.  It  was  cold,  and  a  great 
fire  of  logs  blazed  on  the  hearth,  and  I  drew  my 
chair  before  it  with  a  sigh  of  relief.  After  all,  the 
pleasure  of  sitting  by  a  bright  blaze  on  such  a 
night  diminished  the  trouble  of  court  intrigue,  but 
Madame  de  Brousson's  mind  was  dwelling  on  M. 
de  Lambert. 

"  I  hope  he  will  do  nothing  rash,"  she  said 
thoughtfully;  "  he  is  determined  to  win,  and  some- 
times that  headlong  impetuosity  wrecks  a  cause." 

"  And  sometimes  it  conquers,"  I  replied  senten- 
tiously ;  "  he  can  scarcely  see  mademoiselle,  even 
if  he  sees  Zotof,"  I  added. 

"  Did  he  intend  to  see  Zotof? "  Zenarde  asked 
with  surprise. 

"  He  went  mainly  for  that  purpose,"  I  replied, 


1 86  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

"  although  what  he  expected  to  gain  by  the  inter- 
view I  cannot  imagine.  The  '  Prince  Pope'  is  not 
likely  to  accept  for  his  ward  the  hand  of  a  poor 
Frenchman,  instead  of  the  czar,  even  if  her  corona- 
tion is  not  an  immediate  prospect.  Peter  would 
not  insult  her  family  by  treating  her  with  neglect ; 
moreover,  I  believe  that  he  really  loves  Najine." 

Madame  de  Brousson  shrugged  her  shoulders 
scornfully,  her  lip  curling. 

"  I  believe  that  some  thought  that  King  Louis 
loved  Madame  de  Montespan,"  she  said. 

"  The  case  is  different,  Z^nafde,"  I  returned 
quietly,  "  Madame  de  Montespan  could  never 
have  been  more  than  the  king's  mistress,  Madame 
de  Maintenon  can  never  be  Queen  of  France,  but 
it  is  different  with  the  Romanoff.  He  can  make 
mademoiselle  czarina,  if  he  chooses,  and  he  un- 
doubtedly will  marry  again.  It  is  desirable  that 
there  should  be  other  heirs.  Monseigneur  with 
all  his  dulness  is  far  more  acceptable  to  King 
Louis  than  is  Alexis  to  his  father.  Peter  might 
make  Catherine  share  the  fate  of  Anna  Mons,  but 
Najine  has  too  powerful  a  party  behind  her,  and 
he  loves  her.  I  have  seen  him  strongly  moved, 
and  I  know  that  the  man  is  genuine." 

"You  have  an  admiration  for  him,"  my  wife 
remarked  dryly;  "  he  always  fascinated  your  inter- 
est. I  confess  that  I  remember  that  the  Czarevna 
Sophia  saved  us  both,  and  I  cannot  love  the  czar's 
treatment  of  her." 


A  FAIR  REBEL.  187 

"  Yet  there  is  no  doubt,"  I  said  calmly,  "  that 
she  deserved  it." 

"  Alas,  M.  le  Vicomte,"  she  replied,  smiling, 
"  if  you  fall  back  on  our  merits,  who  can  expect 
a  better  fate?" 

"  Hark !  what  is  that?  "  I  exclaimed,  listening. 

We  both  heard  an  unusual  disturbance  at  the 
lower  entrance,  and  the  sound  of  voices.  In  another 
moment  the  door  of  the  room  was  opened  without 
ceremony  by  Pierrot,  who  stood  aside  to  admit  two 
closely  veiled  women.  My  wife  rose  from  her 
chair  with  an  exclamation  of  surprise,  while  I  sat 
looking  at  them  bewildered.  It  was  not  until  they 
dropped  their  mantles  that  we  recognized  them. 
It  was  mademoiselle  and  her  woman,  Neonila. 
Najine  threw  back  her  hood,  and  her  usually  pale 
face  was  flushed  with  excitement.  Behind  them 
stood  Pierrot,  for  the  first  time  in  his  life  too  as- 
tonished to  remember  his  duty  and  withdraw. 
Madame  de  Brousson,  recovering  her  wits  first, 
went  up  to  Najine,  and  taking  both  her  hands 
drew  her  to  the  chair  by  the  fire. 

"  This  is  indeed  a  pleasure,  mademoiselle,"  she 
said  easily,  "  and  it  is  the  first  time  I  have  seen 
you  since  your  illness." 

The  young  girl  clung  to  Zena'fde's  hand  with 
the  first  signs  of  weakness  that  I  had  seen  about 
her. 

"  Madame  de  Brousson  and  you,  M.  le  Vicomte," 
she  said  in  a  low  voice,  "  I  know  you  think  me  de- 


1 88  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

mented  to  come  here,  and  at  this  hour,  but  I  have 
need  of  advice,  of  help.  I  am  sore  beset,  and  yet 
I  fear  my  visit  here  will  be  only  an  embarrassment 
to  you  both.  I  am  unfortunate." 

"  And  we  are  fortunate,  mademoiselle,"  I  replied 
gallantly,  "  to  have  so  fair  a  visitor.  In  all  things 
you  may  command  me." 

She  gave  me  a  keen  glance,  as  if  she  had  already 
learned  to  sift  men's  souls,  and  was  slow  to  give 
her  confidence,  but  I  saw  that  my  wife  had  won 
her  heart.  It  was  to  Z6na'fde  that  she  mainly 
addressed  herself,  as  if  she  felt  sure,  at  least,  of  a 
woman's  sympathy. 

"  I  am  not  without  natural  affection  for  my 
uncle,  madame,"  she  said  quietly,  as  if  collecting 
her  thoughts.  "  I  would  gladly  submit  to  his  guid- 
ance, but  his  mind  is  full  of  dreams  of  greatness, 
and  he  forgets  my  personal  happiness,  or  believes 
that  it  can  be  assured  by  the  fulfilment  of  his 
wishes." 

She  paused  as  if  choosing  her  words,  and  I 
looked  around  to  see  that  Pierrot  had  withdrawn 
and  her  woman  was  standing  by  the  door  watch- 
ing us,  as  if  she  doubted  the  wisdom  of  her  mis- 
tress's action. 

"  He  has  determined  to  marry  me,"  made- 
moiselle continued,  looking  still  at  my  wife ;  "  and 
I  will  not  yield,  even  if  it  is  —  "  She  paused  and, 
glancing  at  me,  framed  the  words  with  her  lips, 
"the  czar." 


A   FAIR  REBEL.  189 

Madame  de  Brousson  was  holding  her  hand  and 
patting  it  gently,  while  I  sat  and  looked  at  her 
beautiful  young  face  and  the  spirited  pose  of  her 
head.  To  advise  her  seemed  impossible.  She 
read  my  thoughts,  and  glanced  from  my  face  to 
my  wife's. 

"  I  will  not  marry  him !  "  she  cried  passionately. 
"  I  have  no  desire  to  share  the  fate  of  Eudoxia." 

"  Nonsense,  mademoiselle,"  I  exclaimed,  smiling ; 
"  you  cannot  compare  yourself  with  the  unfortu- 
nate czarina." 

"And  why  not,  monsieur?"  she  asked  with 
spirit.  "  I,  too,  would  be  at  the  caprice  of  a  tyrant. 
How  soon  might  he  weary  of  me?  I  am  young 
now,  but  in  a  few  years  a  change  might  come,  — 
illness,  sorrow,  loss  of  youth,  —  and  then  I  too 
should  be  sent  in  a  postcart  to  the  convent." 

She  spoke  with  superb  contempt,  and  I  listened, 
thinking  that  if  Peter  could  hear  her  disdainful 
young  voice  it  would  be  a  salutary  lesson  for  the 
autocrat.  My  wife  was  smiling;  the  thought  of 
this  proud  young  beauty  sharing  Eudoxia's  dis- 
grace was  absurd,  and  yet  she  was  terribly  in  ear- 
nest as  she  sat  looking  at  us,  her  dark  blue  eyes 
kindled  with  passionate  anger. 

"  You  are  unlike  other  women,  mademoiselle," 
I  said ;  "  the  splendors  of  a  throne  have  no  attrac- 
tions for  you." 

"  I  do  not  say  that,  monsieur,"  she  replied  with 
a  sudden  smile;  "  but  when  I  must  share  it  —  its 


190  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

attractions  depend  upon  the  partner  of  my  honors. 
I  cannot  purchase  a  crown  at  the  price  of  my  self- 
respect." 

"And  yet,"  I  remarked  quietly,  "the  czar  is  a 
ruler,  a  brave  man,  a  reformer,  and  with  a  certain 
simplicity  of  nature  that  makes  him  lovable." 

"  I  did  not  think  to  find  his  advocate  here,  M. 
le  Mare"chal,"  she  said,  her  cheeks  flushing  "  I 
came  rather  to  find  a  way  to  escape,  since  the 
matter  is  pressing." 

"  It  is  hard  for  us  to  advise  you,  my  dear," 
Z6na'fde  replied  gently;  "  we  feel  as  if  we  might 
injure  rather  than  aid  you.  It  is  a  grave  step." 

"  I  know  it,"  she  exclaimed,  her  lips  quivering, 
"  and  I  would  not  bring  trouble  to  you,  but  I  saw  no 
way.  They  have  kept  me  as  close  as  a  prisoner, 
and  are  deaf  to  my  entreaties;  they  believe  that 
their  wisdom  is  best." 

"  There  are  two  ways,  mademoiselle,"  I  said 
slowly,  —  "one,  to  go  to  a  convent  for  temporary 
protection,  but  that  would  scarcely  avail  you ;  the 
other — "  I  paused,  and  looked  at  Ze"nai'de.  She, 
reading  my  thought,  laid  her  finger  on  her  lip. 
She  felt  that  M.  de  Lambert  must  speak  for 
himself. 

"And  the  other?"  repeated  mademoiselle,  look- 
ing at  me  inquiringly. 

I  smiled.  "  The  other  would  be  to  go  to 
France,  mademoiselle." 

Her  face  flushed  crimson,  and  she  gave  me  a 


A   FAIR   REBEL. 


191 


haughty  glance,  as  if  she  thought  that  I  intended 
to  reproach  her  for  coming  to  us. 

"  That  is  possible,  mademoiselle,"  I  hastened 
to  explain ;  "  we  would  protect  you,  and  if  you 
could  cross  the  border  in  disguise,  all  would  be 
well." 

She  bit  her  lip,  and  sat  looking  at  the  fire.  I 
knew  that  she  marvelled  at  M.  de  Lambert's  ab- 
sence, but  it  would  have  been  unfortunate  to 
mention  his  name  while  she  was  so  sensitively 
conscious  of  her  precipitation  in  coming  to  us. 
In  the  pause  I  heard  his  voice  in  the  lower  hall 
and  rose  to  call  him,  but  mademoiselle  detained 
me. 

"  No,  no !  "  she  cried,  blushing  deeply,  "  I  did 
not  come  to  seek  M.  de  Lambert  —  nor  would  I 
have  him  think  it,  for  the  world.  I  came  to  you 
and  to  Madame  de  Brousson  for  advice.  I — I 
have  put  myself  in  an  unfortunate  position." 

I  took  her  hand,  and,  looking  at  her  agitated 
face,  understood  how  she  felt.  "  Mademoiselle,"  I 
said  gently,  "  are  you  not  unkind  to  M.  de  Lam- 
bert? He  has  but  just  returned  from  an  effort 
to  see  you ;  he  has  been  ill  —  wounded  in  your 
quarrel —  " 

"111  —  wounded? "she  cried  in  amazement,"! 
knew  nothing  of  it!  They  have  kept  me  like  a 
nun." 

While  I  was  telling  her  of  her  lover's  misad- 
venture, there  was  a  tap  on  the  door,  and  Zena'fde 


192  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

opened  it  for  M.  de  Lambert.  At  the  sight  of 
Najine,  he  uttered  an  exclamation,  and  in  a  mo- 
ment had  both  her  hands  in  his  and  was  trying  to 
express  his  amazement  and  delight,  while  her  face 
was  covered  with  blushes,  and  her  long  lashes  hid 
the  brightness  of  her  eyes.  I  glanced  at  my  wife, 
and  we  smiled;  there  was  even  a  smile  on  the 
face  of  the  Russian  woman  who  stood  so  patiently 
by  the  door.  After  all,  they  were  like  two  chil- 
dren, and  it  was  a  shame  to  think  of  separating 
them.  He  led  her  back  to  her  seat  by  the  fire, 
sitting  down  himself  on  a  low  stool  at  her  feet, 
while  I  told  him  briefly  mademoiselle's  errand, 
and  pointed  out  the  gravity  and  difficulty  of  the 
situation,  although  I  knew  that  his  impatience 
would  scoff  at  obstacles.  I  was  rather  astonished 
that  he  listened  with  attention,  and  was  willing  to 
give  the  matter  deep  thought  before  proposing  a 
way  out  of  it.  I  knew  well  enough  the  expedient 
that  he  would  suggest,  for  I  saw  it  in  his  kindling 
eye,  and  imagined  that  mademoiselle  divined  it 
too,  for  her  embarrassment  increased.  He  let  me 
finish  my  argument  before  he  spoke  at  all. 

"There  is  but  one  way,"  he  said  at  last.  "  Her 
guardians  will  have  their  own  wishes  obeyed  as 
long  as  she  remains  here ;  but  —  "  He  stopped  and 
looked  up  into  mademoiselle's  face.  "  It  is  hasty, " 
he  went  on ;  "  but  if  she  will  marry  me  now  —  I 
can  and  will  carry  her  back  to  France." 

"  Oh,   I   could  not  now ! "  mademoiselle  cried 


A  FAIR  REBEL.  193 

with  a  crimson  face.  "  It  would  be  as  if  I  had 
sought  it!" 

He  caught  her  hand,  and  pressed  it  to  his  lips. 
"Najine,"  he  said  softly,  "is  that  truthful?  I 
could  not  break  into  your  uncle's  house,  but  I 
should  have  found  a  way  to  bring  you  out  of  it  at 
last.  Perhaps,  though,"  he  added,  with  a  rare 
touch  of  diplomacy,  "  I  am  too  poor  a  man  to  be 
compared  to  a  czar." 

"For  shame,  M.  de  Lambert!"  Najine  cried 
angrily;  "why  taunt  me  with  that?  Have  I  de- 
served it  ? " 

"Forgive  me,"  he  replied,  smiling;  "you  drove 
me  to  it.  Najine,  you  will  wed  me?"  he  went 
on  with  emotion.  "  There  is  no  other  way  to  rescue 
you  now.  If  you  hesitate,  they  will  not,  and  they 
will  marry  you  to  the  czar.  You  must  choose 
between  us." 

She  looked  down  at  him  with  a  charming  smile. 
"I  have  chosen,  monsieur,"  she  said  softly;  "but 
I  will  not  have  you  risk  your  life  for  me.  We 
could  not  escape  to-night  or  to-morrow,  and  I 
must  not  go  back  to  the  house.  I  cannot  again 
evade  my  aunt's  vigilance;  she  is  more  bent  upon 
this  unhappy  matter  than  my  uncle.  Another 
aunt,  my  mother's  sister,  whose  husband  is  with 
the  army  in  Livonia,  is  at  Troltsa.  She  has  gone 
there  as  a  pilgrim  to  pray  for  her  family;  she  is 
very  fond  of  me,  and  will  be  full  of  sympathy  for 
my  troubles.  I  have  almost  determined  to  go  to 

13 


194  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

her  for  the  present,  especially  as  I  believe  they 
would  scarcely  think  of  seeking  me  there,  and  if 
they  do,  she  will  help  me." 

I  saw  the  wisdom  of  her  decision  as,  I  think, 
did  M.  de  Lambert,  although  he  protested. 

"Can  you  not  stay  with  us  to-night?"  sug- 
gested Z6nalde ;  "  why  need  any  one  know  that 
you  are  here  ?  " 

"  Impossible ! "  she  exclaimed  at  once.  "  My 
aunt  will  search  Moscow  for  me ;  she  is  very  angry 
with  me.  I  must  go  from  the  city." 

"Your  aunt  is  certainly  at  Troltsa,  mademoi- 
selle?" I  asked. 

"She  has  been  there  for  some  days,  monsieur," 
she  replied. 

I  looked  thoughtfully  at  M.  de  Lambert.  "  I 
believe  that  would  be  her  wisest  course,"  I  said 
gravely ;  "  it  would  be  a  temporary  security  and  a 
cause  of  desirable  delay,  which  would  enable  us  to 
find  some  way  out  of  this  labyrinth." 

He  was  reluctant  to  assent  to  this  arrangement, 
for  he  was  manifestly  determined  to  carry  Najine 
off  in  the  teeth  of  all  opposition.  While  we  sat 
looking  at  one  another,  each  thinking  of  a  differ- 
ent scheme,  there  was  a  sudden  noise  below  and 
the  sound  of  loud  talking.  Mademoiselle  sprang 
up  in  quick  alarm. 

"  They  have  come  to  seek  me  !  "  she  exclaimed  in 
excitement ;  "  is  there  not  some  other  way  by  which 
I  can  escape?  They  must  not  find  me  here." 


A   FAIR  REBEL.  195 

"No  harm  shall  come  to  you,  Najine,"  M.  de 
Lambert  exclaimed. 

I  had  been  listening,  and  heard  heavy  steps  upon 
the  stair.  An  instinct  warned  me  that  there  was 
danger. 

"Take  her  away,"  I  said  quickly  to  Zena'fde; 
and  she,  reading  my  face,  caught  mademoiselle's 
hand,  and  drew  her  through  the  door  that  opened 
into  the  next  apartment.  Neonila  followed,  but 
had  not  time  to  close  the  door  when  the  other,  by 
the  stairs,  was  thrown  open  and  a  stranger  entered 
unannounced.  I  looked  about,  and  saw,  with  re- 
lief, the  door  close  on  the  Russian  woman ;  then 
I  rose,  and  confronted  my  visitor.  He  was  a 
large  man,  and  muffled  in  a  long  scarlet  cloak, 
edged  with  sables,  the  collar  turned  up  about  his 
face  and  his  plumed  hat  set  low  over  his  eyes.  I 
raised  the  taper,  and  held  it  to  throw  the  light 
upon  his  figure,  but  he  neither  moved  nor  spoke. 

"Your  pleasure,  monsieur?"  I  said  sharply; 
"you  intrude  strangely  upon  my  privacy.  It  is 
not  usual  for  a  visitor  to  enter  a  house  with  such 
noise,  and  then  break  in  upon  his  host  unan- 
nounced and  bonneted." 

Without  a  word,  he  dropped  his  cloak  and  stood 
regarding  me.  It  was  the  czar! 


CHAPTER   XV. 

AN  IMPERIAL  INQUISITOR. 

WHEN  I  saw  that  my  visitor  was  the  czar,  I 
suppressed  my  surprise,  and  put  the  taper  calmly 
upon  the  table,  making  my  obeisance  with  all  the 
grace  that  I  could  command. 

"Your  Majesty  honors  me  by  this  visit,"  I  said 
gravely,  "  but  if  I  had  been  advised  of  your  com- 
ing I  should  have  been  better  prepared. " 

"Doubtless,"  the  czar  replied  dryly,  "but  it 
was  for  that  reason  that  I  chose  to  come  unan- 
nounced, M.  le  Mar6chal.  M.  de  Lambert,  be 
kind  enough  to  remain  where  you  are,"  he  added 
sharply. 

M.  de  Lambert  had  made  an  effort  to  leave  the 
room  to  warn  Najine,  but  at  the  czar's  words  he 
paused,  and  stood  haughtily  with  his  back  against 
the  door,  and  I  saw  the  fire  of  determination  in 
his  brown  eyes  as  he  looked  back  defiantly  at  the 
autocrat.  I  drew  forward  the  best  chair  in  the 
room. 

"Your  Majesty  will  be  seated,"  I  said  courte- 
ously. "  I  am  indeed  unprepared,  but  the  best  that 
the  house  affords  is  at  the  service  of  the  czar." 


AN  IMPERIAL  INQUISITOR.  197 

"Pshaw,  M.  1'Ambassadeur !"  Peter  exclaimed 
with  his  usual  frankness,  "you  know  that  I  do 
not  come  to  pay  you  a  formal  visit  at  night  and 
almost  unattended.  The  greatest  courtesy  that 
you  can  show  me  is  to  reply  to  my  questions 
without  prevarication.  You  have  one  visitor  here 
already;  who  is  she?  " 

His  question  was  abrupt,  but  I  had  the  advan- 
tage of  being  in  a  measure  prepared  for  it  and 
remained  undisturbed. 

"I  do  not  understand  your  Majesty,"  I  replied 
calmly;  "I  have  no  visitors." 

The  czar  looked  at  me  with  passionate  scorn, 
his  great  figure  towering  in  the  dimly  lighted  room. 

"  Who  was  the  woman  who  went  out  that  door 
as  I  entered  the  other?"  he  demanded  sternly, 
pointing  his  finger  at  the  door  against  which  M. 
de  Lambert  had  set  his  back. 

"Madame  de  Brousson,"  I  replied  promptly, 
with  some  relief  that  I  could  tell  half  the  truth. 

His  lip  curled  scornfully.  "Do  you  take  me 
for  a  fool,  M.  le  Marechal?"  he  exclaimed;  "I 
presume  that  your  wife  did  go  out  that  door  —  and 
who  went  with  her  ? " 

I  was  standing  opposite  to  him,  my  hand  rest- 
ing on  the  back  of  the  chair  that  he  had  refused, 
and  I  looked  him  full  in  the  face. 

"  Your  Majesty  is  pleased  to  cross-question  me 
closely  about  the  affairs  of  my  own  household,"  I 
said  haughtily. 


198  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

"M.  de  Brousson,"  he  replied  hotly,  "Najine 
Zotof  is  in  this  house  and  you  know  it." 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders.  "  If  your  Majesty  is 
convinced  that  the  young  woman  is  here,  why 
should  I  be  questioned  ? "  I  said,  conscious  that 
the  blood  burned  on  my  cheeks,  for  his  glance  was 
exasperating. 

"There  is  wisdom  in  that  remark,  sir,"  he 
replied  tartly.  "  It  is  indeed  unnecessary  for 
you  to  reply,  because  I  know  she  is  here  —  here 
without  the  consent  or  knowledge  of  her  guar- 
dians," he  struck  his  hand  on  the  table  sharply, 
"here  on  some  foolish  errand.  Therefore,  M.  le 
Marechal,  I  demand  that  you  bring  her  before 
me." 

I  saw  M.  de  Lambert's  face  flush  scarlet,  and 
his  hand  seek  the  hilt  of  his  sword,  and  dreaded 
some  act  of  folly.  I  was  striving  to  plan  some 
escape  and  did  not  reply  to  the  czar. 

"Are  you  deaf,  sir?  "  Peter  exclaimed  harshly. 
"Produce  Najine  Zotof." 

I  did  not  move,  but  stood  'erect  before  him,  my 
arms  folded  on  my  breast. 

"  Your  Majesty,"  I  said  slowly,  "  I  owe  you  pro- 
found respect,  the  reverence  due  to  an  anointed 
king,  the  courtesy  due  to  the  friend  of  my  mas- 
ter; but  I  am  an  officer  of  Louis,  King  of  France, 
and  my  oath  binds  me  to  his  service  alone.  I 
cannot  become  an  equerry  to  any  other  sovereign, 
nor  would  I  do  police  duty  for  his  Majesty  of 


AN  IMPERIAL   INQUISITOR.  199 

France.  Your  Majesty's  commands  unhappily 
exceed  the  limit  of  my  compliance." 

He  stood  gnawing  his  lip  and  regarding  me 
with  a  brow  as  black  as  a  thunder-cloud. 

"I  thank  you  for  the  lesson,  M.  1'Ambassa- 
deur,"  he  said  bitterly;  "perhaps  this  gentleman 
here  can  be  more  obliging,"  he  added,  turning 
scornfully  to  M.  de  Lambert. 

I  made  a  sign  to  him  to  beware  of  his  reply,  but 
his  eyes  were  fixed  haughtily  on  the  czar's  face. 

"Your  Majesty  forgets,"  he  replied  proudly, 
"that  I  also  am  a  subject  of  the  King  of  France." 

"By  all  the  saints,"  the  czar  exclaimed  pas- 
sionately, "  I  wish  the  King  of  France  had  kept 
you  there !  Are  you  weak,  that  you  lean  so  per- 
sistently against  that  door?"  he  added  with  fine 
sarcasm. 

"  Your  Majesty  desired  that  I  should  remain 
where  I  am,"  M.  de  Lambert  replied  calmly,  a 
little  amusement  showing  in  his  eyes. 

"I  am  gratified,"  the  czar  said  scornfully,  "to 
find  one  Frenchman  so  little  obstinate  that  he  can 
comply  with  my  request.  M.  le  Vicomte,"  he 
added  sharply,  turning  to  me,  "if  you  will  not 
produce  Najine,  I  must  even  go  and  seek  her." 

I  started.  I  was  not  prepared  for  so  extreme  a 
measure,  and  if  he  searched  the  house,  he  would 
undoubtedly  find  her,  unless  Zena'fde  had  smug- 
gled her  out,  which  was  improbable.  I  glanced 
quickly  at  M.  de  Lambert,  and  read  consternation 


2OO  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

in  his  eyes.  But  there  was  no  remedy  even  in 
delay;  still  I  made  one  last  attempt  to  save  the 
situation. 

"It  is  an  extreme  measure,  your  Majesty,"  I 
said  with  forced  composure;  "you  have  called  me 
an  ambassador — •  it  is  unusual  to  search  the  house 
of  an  ambassador. " 

He  uttered  an  exclamation  of  impatience. 
"Ambassador  or  not,  I  shall  do  as  I  please,"  he 
said  haughtily.  "I  am  weary  of  this  banter  of 
idle  words.  You  and  your  friend  here  will  pre- 
cede me,  monsieur. " 

I  bowed  gravely,  and  taking  up  a  taper  prepared 
to  light  him  through  the  corridor. 

"Not  so  fast,  M.  1'Ambassadeur,"  he  said  qui- 
etly; "the  other  door,  if  you  please,  and  M.  de 
Lambert  can  walk  in  front." 

I  bit  my  lip;  my  choler  was  rising  fast,  and  it 
cost  me  an  effort  to  obey  him  with  the  courtesy 
which  was  his  due,  and  I  saw  that  M.  de  Lam- 
bert was  furious.  However,  we  were  compelled 
to  open  the  door  and  walk  like  two  children  be- 
fore him  through  the  adjoining  rooms ;  to  my  in- 
finite relief,  they  were  empty,  and  though  he 
lifted  the  arras  there  was  no  one  concealed  be- 
hind it,  and  his  face  darkened  as  he  proceeded, 
without  any  result  for  his  pains.  The  apartment 
in  which  he  had  found  us  adjoined  two  others, 
which  in  turn  were  separated  by  a  narrow  passage 
and  ante-room  from  my  wife's  sleeping -room,  and 


AN  IMPERIAL    INQUISITOR.  2OI 

at  her  door  the  procession  halted.  The  czar  mo- 
tioned to  me  to  proceed,  but  I  stood  unmoved. 

"This  is  Madame  de  Brousson's  apartment,"  I 
said  with  dignity;  "your  Majesty  does  not  intend 
to  intrude  here." 

For  the  moment  he  was  nonplussed.  It  would 
be  indeed  an  extreme  measure  to  search  my  wife's 
rooms,  and  yet  he  and  I  both  knew  that  here  was 
the  fair  fugitive  whom  he  sought.  He  stood 
irresolute,  anger  glowing  in  his  dark  eyes,  and 
his  lips  compressed ;  then  looking  up  he  caught 
the  gleam  of  triumph  in  M.  de  Lambert's  eye,  and 
that  decided  him. 

"  Be  kind  enough  to  inform  Madame  de  Brous- 
son  that  the  czar  desires  to  speak  with  her,"  he 
said  sternly. 

With  a  heavy  heart  I  tapped  upon  the  door 
and  delivered  his  message.  To  my  amazement, 
Zenalde  threw  open  the  door,  and  came  out  to 
greet  him  with  a  sweeping  curtsy. 

"  I  am  at  your  Majesty's  service,"  she  said,  with 
a  woman's  graceful  tact,  ignoring  his  angry  aspect. 

Peter  looked  beyond  her  into  an  apparently 
vacant  room,  and  I  saw  astonishment  mingle  with 
the  displeasure  on  his  countenance. 

"Madame,"  he  said  gravely,  "you  have  Najine 
Zotof  in  your  room ;  where  is  she  ?  " 

"Your  Majesty  sees  my  apartment,"  she  re- 
plied with  a  graceful  gesture;  "mademoiselle  is 
not  visible  there,  certainly." 


202  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

"These  are  words,  madame,"  he  exclaimed  im- 
patiently; "Najine  is  concealed  there,  and  you 
know  it." 

Z^na'fde  drew  back  haughtily.  "The  room  is 
open  for  your  Majesty's  inspection,"  she  said 
quietly ;  "  it  is  mine,  but  I  will  not  attempt  to  op- 
pose the  czar,  since  I  am  suspected  of  falsehood." 

Her  manner  had  a  strange  effect  upon  him ;  he 
regarded  her  intently,  admiring,  I  think,  her 
beauty  and  her  dignity. 

"Your  husband  has  made  many  objections  to 
my  search  of  this  house,"  he  said  slowly,  "be- 
cause he  is  an  ambassador  of  France.  I  appeal 
to  you,  madame,  would  not  the  king  my  brother 
do  likewise  in  my  case? " 

She  looked  up  quickly.  "  Your  Majesty  means 
to  ask  if  the  king  my  master  would  search  this 
room?  "  she  asked  in  her  sweet  voice. 

"I  do,  madame,"  he  replied  gravely,  watching 
her. 

"His  Majesty  would  not  dream  of  it  in  the 
like  case,"  she  replied  at  once,  and  with  decision. 

The  czar  glanced  at  her  with  surprise.  "  And 
why  not,  madame  ?  "  he  asked  quickly. 

Z^na'fde  looked  at  him  calmly,  her  blue  eyes  as 
innocent  as  they  were  steadfast. 

"Because,  your  Majesty,"  she  replied  in  a  clear 
voice,  "  Louis  de  Bourbon  is  the  first  gentleman 
in  France." 

The  czar  started  as  if  she  had  struck  him  in  the 


AN  IMPERIAL  INQUISITOR.  203 

face,  and  the  blood  rushed  to  his  temples.  I 
caught  my  breath.  What  will  not  a  woman  dare  ? 
Yet  her  manner  was  perfect,  her  composure  un- 
ruffled. For  a  moment  I  anticipated  an  explo- 
sion, and  thought  that  Peter  would  resent  her 
reply  as  a  deadly  insult ;  but  he  commanded  his 
passion  and  made  her  a  profound  bow. 

"Madame  has  read  me  a  lesson,"  he  said 
bluntly,  "  that  I  would  not  accept  from  less  beauty 
and  merit,  but  sometimes  it  is  well  for  a  czar  to 
be  reminded  that  he  is  a  man  and  not  infallible. 
Madame,  I  will  not  be  excelled  in  courtesy  by 
the  King  of  France;  close  your  door  and  keep 
your  counsel,  but  convey  to  your  fair  prisoner 
that  she  is  a  subject  of  Russia  and  must  obey  her 
sovereign.  Let  her  return  quietly  to  the  house 
of  her  uncle,  or  else  she  will  answer  for  her 
disobedience.  Even  the  King  of  France,  I 
think,  compels  his  fair  subjects  to  respect  his 
authority." 

"Nay,  your  Majesty,"  Ze"nai'de  replied  calmly, 
"the  king  my  master  reigns  not  by  fear.  A 
Frenchwoman  is  never  a  slave." 

"  I  have  often  regretted,  madame,  that  your 
marriage  made  you  a  French  subject,"  Peter  re- 
joined, "but  I  perceive  now  that  I  am  fortunate, 
since  you  would  have  taught  my  whole  petticoated 
tribe  the  principles  of  sedition." 

ZenaKde  smiled.  "Your  Majesty  would  not  de- 
sire a  mean-spirited  flock  of  women,"  she  said 


204  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

quietly,  "all  modelled  in  the  mould  of  blind  ac- 
quiescence to  one  will." 

"I  have  no  such  good  hope  as  that,"  replied  the 
czar,  dryly;  "since  the  days  of  Eve,  madame, 
your  sex  has  been  a  source  of  trouble.  It  was 
the  apple  of  obstinacy  that  your  ancestress  ate,  as 
well  as  that  of  knowledge.  But  I  request  you  to 
convey  my  message  to  Najine  Zotof. " 

"It  will  be  my  first  duty,  your  Majesty,"  she 
replied,  "when  I  see  mademoiselle." 

He  made  her  a  mocking  bow.  "When  you  see 
her,  madame,"  he  replied  with  a  cynical  smile, 
and  then,  turning  on  his  heel,  he  walked  away 
through  the  rooms,  followed  by  M.  de  Lambert 
and  me,  but  ignoring  us  both  until  he  reached  the 
head  of  the  stairs.  At  the  foot  I  saw  Pierrot 
with  the  czar's  equerry  looking  up  at  us,  and 
understood  why  Peter  had  come  up  unannounced. 
He  turned  upon  us  with  a  return  of  his  haughty 
manner,  his  dark  eyes  on  M.  de  Lambert's 
face. 

"As  for  you,  young  sir,"  he  said  coldly,  "you 
are  too  clever  in  the  gallantry  of  courts.  France 
is  your  proper  sphere,  and  pray  do  not  allow  us  to 
detain  you  here.  I  will  direct  the  authorities  to 
furnish  you  with  your  passport." 

The  young  man  bowed  haughtily,  his  face 
flushed  with  anger  and  his  eyes  returning  the 
czar's  glance  with  a  defiance  equal  to  his  own. 

"I  am  beholden  to  your  Majesty,"  he  said  in  a 


AN  IMPERIAL  INQUISITOR.  205 

low  voice.  "  Since  I  have  been  here,  I  have  had 
occasion  to  feel  the  need  of  a  safe-conduct." 

Peter  gave  him  a  searching  glance. 

"You  are  pleased  to  speak  in  riddles,  M.  de 
Lambert,"  he  said  sharply,  "but  it  is  well  that 
something  has  warned  you  to  be  cautious.  We 
Russians  know  how  to  resent  idle  interference 
with  our  affairs." 

M.  de  Lambert  bit  his  lip,  his  face  paling  a 
little.  "Your  Majesty  has  the  advantage,"  he 
said,  folding  his  arms  on  his  breast,  "since  we 
cannot  meet  on  terms  of  equality." 

Peter  laughed  harshly.  "  You  are  a  true  knight- 
errant,  monsieur,"  he  said  mockingly.  "You 
forget,  though,  that  the  arm  of  Peter  Romanoff  is 
not  so  feeble  that  he  could  not  do  battle,  even  if 
he  did  not  wear  a  crown.  Do  not  be  a  fool, 
young  man,  and  waste  breath  in  idle  boasts." 
Then  turning  to  me,  "As  for  you,  M.  1'Ambassa- 
deur,"  he  added  bluntly,  "I  leave  it  to  your  con- 
science if  it  is  consistent  with  your  honor  and 
the  honor  of  France  to  conceal  and  aid  a  little 
rebel  against  her  master." 

"Your  Majesty  makes  serious  charges,"  I  re- 
plied with  composure,  "but  I  trust  that  my  honor 
and  that  of  my  country  will  remain  untarnished." 

The  czar  was  already  on  the  stairs,  but  at  my 
words  turned  and  looked  at  me.  I  was  lighting 
the  way,  holding  the  taper  over  my  head,  and  I 
saw  the  gleam  of  amusement  in  his  eyes. 


2O6  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

"You  are  an  old  fox,  Brousson,"  he  said 
gravely,  "  but  remember  that  the  fox  is  no  match 
for  the  lion,  and  you  are  treading  on  dangerous 
ground." 

We  were  at  the  door,  and  I  stood  aside  to  per- 
mit him  to  pass  out,  still  holding  the  taper  be- 
tween us. 

"The  fox  is  no  match  for  the  lion,  your 
Majesty,"  I  admitted  calmly,  "but  neither  is 
the  lion  a  match  for  the  turtle-dove." 

He  had  gone  out  in  the  dark,  but  turned,  and, 
coming  close  to  me  at  the  door,  spoke  so  low  that 
none  could  hear. 

"M.  de  Brousson,"  he  said  sternly,  "I  have 
yielded  to-night  from  courtesy  to  madame,  but  if 
that  young  man  yonder  takes  one  step  to  make 
Najine  his  wife  without  my  sanction,  it  will  cost 
him  his  head,  were  there  forty  kings  of  France 
instead  of  one ! " 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

A  DUEL  WITH  TONGUES. 

WITH  the  czar's  threat  ringing  ominously  in  my 
ears,  I  ascended  the  stairs  and,  asking  M.  de 
Lambert  to  remain  in  the  salon,  went  on  to 
Madame  de  Brousson's  door  to  inquire  for  Najine. 
At  the  sound  of  my  voice  they  both  came  out 
into  the  ante-room,  mademoiselle's  face  still  pale 
with  excitement.  She  ran  up  to  me  with  the 
pretty  manner  of  a  child,  and,  taking  my  hand, 
kissed  it  with  impulsive  gratitude. 

"  M.  1'Ambassadeur,"  she  said,  "  I  feel  as  if  I 
ought  to  go  down  on  my  knees  to  you  and 
Madame  de  Brousson,  for  rescuing  me  from  this 
situation ;  I  do  not  know  how  I  could  have  faced 
the  czar  in  this  house." 

"  Mademoiselle,"  I  replied  gravely,  "  it  was 
our  happiness  to  shield  you,  but  I  fear  that  we 
can  do  little  more  at  this  time.  I  wished  to  talk 
to  you  without  restraint,  therefore  I  came  alone. 
The  czar  has  spoken  freely  to  me,  and  I  believe 
that  it  is -impossible  for  you  to  escape  to  France 
at  present;  you  are  too  closely  watched.  It  is 
equally  impossible  for  me  to  protect  you  here; 


2O8  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

therefore,  mademoiselle,  there  is  but  one  course 
open :  you  must  go  with  all  speed  to  your  good 
aunt  at  Troi'tsa." 

"  We  had  ourselves  reached  that  conclusion," 
Ze"na'fde  said,  "  and  Najine  and  I  were  perfecting 
our  arrangements  to  leave  here  in  the  morning." 

"  That  will  not  do,"  I  replied  at  once ;  "  you 
must  go  within  the  hour." 

Mademoiselle  glanced  up  with  surprise,  and 
Ze'nalde  uttered  a  protest. 

"  Philippe  !  "  she  exclaimed  reproachfully,  "  mad- 
emoiselle will  think  you  lacking  in  courtesy." 

"No,  no!"  protested  Najine,  warmly,  "I  am 
sure  that  M.  de  Brousson  has  some  good  reason 
for  his  haste." 

"  I  have  the  best,  mademoiselle,"  I  replied  ;  "  the 
czar  will  undoubtedly  order  your  uncle  to  remove 
you  from  my  house,  and  I  have  no  authority  to 
resist  him." 

"  I  know  it,  monsieur,"  she  replied  gravely  ;  "  it 
is  as  I  said,  I  cannot  remain  here.  Madame  has 
urged  me  in  her  kindness,  but  it  is  impossible. 
Neonila  and  I  must  find  a  way  to  escape  from 
Moscow  at  once." 

"How  can  they?"  cried  Ze'na'fde,  casting  an 
indignant  glance  at  me,  —  "  two  women,  and  at  this 
hour ! " 

"  M.  de  Lambert  and  Pierrot  will  accompany 
them,"  I  replied  firmly ;  "  they  must  not  lose  an 
hour." 


A   DUEL    WITH  TONGUES.  209 

"  I  must  go  with  them,"  ZenaTde  exclaimed. 

"  Pardon  me,  madame,"  I  answered,  "  you  must, 
on  the  contrary,  remain  here  and  detain  the 
Councillor  Zotofs  party." 

In  a  moment  Zena'fde  understood  my  scheme, 
and  let  me  go  to  summon  Pierrot  and  give  my 
orders.  It  was  nearly  midnight,  and  he  was  sleepy 
and  loath  to  go  on  his  errand;  but  a  few  words 
from  me  rouseo!  him  to  meet  the  emergency. 
Then  I  sought  M.  de  Lambert,  and  informed  him  of 
the  measures  which  I  had  taken  without  consulting 
him,  because  I  knew  that  it  would  be  folly  to 
expect  his  acquiescence,  and  fatal  to  delay  Najine's 
flight.  He  was  angry  and  surprised  at  my  action, 
and  mastered  his  emotion  with  difficulty,  for  his 
nature  was  impulsive. 

"  This  seems  a  hard  measure  for  mademoiselle," 
he  exclaimed  at  once,  "  to  send  her  away  at 
this  hour,  when  she  came  here  for  aid  and  pro- 
tection." 

"  M.  de  Lambert,"  I  replied  gravely,  "  I  under- 
stand your  feeling,  and  you  have  my  sympathy  in 
your  indignation  for  mademoiselle,  but  I  am  truly 
giving  her  the  best  aid  in  my  power.  If  she  stays 
here  until  morning,  I  should  be  compelled  to 
surrender  her  to  her  uncle;  the  demand  is  inev- 
itable, and  may  come  at  any  hour.  Moreover,  I 
think  it  has  cost  mademoiselle  something  to  take 
this  decided  step ;  she  is  not  without  regret  and 
hesitation  at  the  thought  of  acting  directly  in 


210  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

opposition  to  her  guardians,  and  it  is  possible  that, 
under  their  persuasion,  she  might  yet  surrender 
her  will  to  theirs,  which  would  be  fatal  to  your 
interests.  It  is  no  light  thing  for  a  young  girl, 
reared  as  she  has  been,  to  evade  her  uncle's 
authority  and  contemplate  a  stolen  marriage.  If 
you  hope  to  succeed  in  your  suit,  you  must 
speedily  get  her  out  of  the  reach  of  Zotof  and 
his  wife." 

He  listened  to  me  thoughtfully,  and  I  saw  that 
he  realized  the  truth  of  my  words.  He  stood 
with  folded  arms,  his  eyes  bent  on  the  fire  and  his 
brows  furrowed  with  anxiety.  He  was  probably 
thinking  of  a  dozen  ways  to  evade  the  czar,  and  in 
the  end  finding  himself,  each  time,  in  a  cul-de-sac. 
I  heard  Pierrot's  step  on  the  stair,  and  knew  that 
all  things  were  in  readiness. 

"  M.  de  Lambert,"  I  said  gravely,  "  when  this 
errand  is  over,  we  must  seriously  consider  your 
own  situation.  The  czar  has  virtually  demanded 
your  return  to  France,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that 
the  passports  will  be  forthcoming  ;  in  which  case 
there  will  be  an  accumulation  of  difficulties." 

He  looked  at  me  calmly.  "  I  shall  remain  here, 
monsieur,"  he  said  at  once,  "  as  long  as  made- 
moiselle remains." 

I  smiled  in  spite  of  myself.  "  Even  if  she  be- 
comes the  Czarina  of  Russia?  "  I  asked  naively. 

At  this  moment  Pierrot  announced  that  all 
preparations  for  departure  had  been  made,  and  so 


A   DUEL    WITH   TONGUES.  211 

checked  the  angry  retort  that  was  on  M.  de 
Lambert's  lips,  for  he  always  lost  his  temper  at  the 
suggestion  that  mademoiselle  would  ultimately  wed 
the  czar.  As  Pierrot  came,  Madame  de  Brousson 
entered  by  the  other  door  with  Najine  and  her 
woman,  and  I  had  my  last  instructions  to  give, 
so  that  we  had  no  further  words  over  made- 
moiselle's future.  Indeed  I  was  anxious  to  hurry 
them  off,  knowing  that  the  reprieve  would  be 
short  Najine  herself  was  nervous  and  impatient, 
although  she  clung  affectionately  to  my  wife  and, 
I  thought,  would  have  been  happy  to  stay  with 
her.  Zena'fde  petted  and  soothed  her,  after  the 
fashion  of  women,  until  I  felt  it  necessary  to 
hasten  them. 

"  Pardon  my  seeming  discourtesy,  mademoi- 
selle," I  said,  "  but  haste  is  imperative.  Pierrot, 
is  everything  in  readiness?" 

"At  your  service,  M.  le  Vicomte,"  he  replied 
promptly. 

Zenai'de  herself  adjusted  mademoiselle's  mantle 
and  hood,  and  M.  de  Lambert,  having  placed  his 
pistols  in  his  belt,  assumed  his  cloak,  and  they 
were  ready  to  follow  Pierrot  down  to  the  rear  door. 
Najine  came  to  me  with  outstretched  hands,  her 
charming  face  just  peeping  out  of  the  great  gray 
fur-lined  hood,  which  was  peaked  at  the  top  and, 
framing  her  face,  met  under  her  small  firm 
chin. 

"  I  thank  you   from  my  heart,  monsieur,"  she 


212  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

said  softly.  "  May  the  saints  reward  you  for  your 
kindness." 

"  Mademoiselle,"  I  replied  warmly,  "  I  am  al- 
ways entirely  at  your  service,  and,  I  trust,  may 
yet  find  a  way  out  of  your  difficulties." 

Something  in  the  simplicity  of  her  manner 
touched  me  more  than  her  words,  and  I  went 
with  her  to  the  door  and  stood  there,  while  she 
bade  Zena'fde  farewell,  without  the  heart  to  hasten 
her  again.  Finally,  however,  M.  de  Lambert  drew 
her  arm  through  his  and  led  her  out  into  the 
night,  followed  by  Pierrot  and  her  woman,  while 
we  watched  in  the  entry  until  we  heard  the  horses 
start,  and  knew  that  they  were  safely  off;  then  I 
closed  the  door  and  barred  it. 

"And  now  for  a  few  hours  of  repose!"  I  ex- 
claimed with  a  sigh  of  relief;  but  I  was  destined  to 
disappointment.  The  words  were  scarcely  out  of 
my  mouth  before  a  knock  on  the  front  door  re- 
sounded through  the  house. 

"  Hark !  "  exclaimed  ZenaTde,  "  what  can  it 
mean?" 

"  Some  one  who  is  determined  to  enter,"  I  re- 
marked dryly,  as  we  ascended  the  stairs  which 
communicated  with  my  rooms  by  a  rear  door,  so 
that  we  could  avoid  the  entrance.  I  heard  Touchet 
stumbling  through  the  house,  evidently  roused 
from  a  nap,  for  he  was  slow,  and  there  was  a 
second  summons  before  he  unbarred  the  door. 
Zena'fde  followed  me  to  the  head  of  the  stairs, 


A   DUEL    WITH  TONGUES. 


and  we  stood  looking  down  into  the  lower  hall. 
When  the  door  was  opened,  several  persons  imme- 
diately crowded  into  the  entrance,  and  I  at  once 
suspected  who  were  our  visitors,  and  in  another 
moment  a  sharp  female  voice  confirmed  my 
conclusion. 

"  Where  is  the  marshal,  and  where  is  Madame 
deBrousson?"  she  exclaimed. 

It  was  Madame  Zotof,  and  she  pushed  past 
Touchet  and  began  to  come  up  the  stairs  before 
her  husband  could  collect  himself  for  the  attack. 
It  was  characteristic  of  madame,  who  was  always 
at  the  front  of  the  battle,  and  she  was  eager  now 
for  the  fray.  As  I  saw  her  on  the  stair,  I  glanced 
at  ZenaTde  and  smiled.  Madame  de  Brousson 
was  looking  down  at  her  with  a  peculiar  expres- 
sion in  her  blue  eyes,  and  knowing,  as  I  did,  her 
estimate  of  Madame  Zotof,  I  wondered  a  little 
what  thoughts  were  in  her  mind,  as  she  stood 
there  with  unruffled  composure  awaiting  the  on- 
slaught. It  was  not  until  she  was  half-way  up  the 
stairs  that  Madame  Zotof  looked  up  and  saw  us 
standing  at  the  top;  then  she  paused  an  instant, 
and  eyed  us  with  that  keen,  ill-tempered  look  of 
hers,  her  thin  face  and  shrewish  mouth  showing 
in  the  glare  .  of  the  taper  that  Touchet  had  set 
upon  the  landing. 

"  I  am  fortunate  to  find  you  awake  at  this  hour," 
she  remarked  sharply. 

"  And  we  are  fortunate  to  receive  you  at  any 


214  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

hour,  madame,"  Z6naTde  replied  suavely,  "  even  if 
it  is  at  a  time  when  we  usually  seek  repose." 

Madame  Zotof  looked  at  her  keenly,  suspicious 
of  her  opponent's  smooth  courtesy. 

"  It  is  evident  that  I  did  not  rouse  you,"  she 
retorted  tartly.  "  You  do  not  look  as  if  you  had 
come  from  your  couch." 

By  this  time  the  councillor  had  come  up  the 
stair  and  stood  behind  his  wife,  a  few  steps  below 
us.  Ze'naTde,  ignoring  madame's  reply,  greeted 
him  with  quiet  courtesy,  and  invited  them  to  enter 
the  salon,  ordering  Touchet  to  bring  fresh  tapers, 
for  those  upon  the  table  were  already  exhausted. 
Madame  Zotof,  with  an  eager  air,  hurried  into  the 
room  behind  my  wife,  and  looked  about,  appar- 
ently for  some  token  of  her  truant  niece,  but  there 
was  no  sign  of  her  recent  presence.  The  apart- 
ment was  in  order,  and  the  logs  had  burned  down 
on  the  hearth,  so  that  there  was  a  chill  in  the  at- 
mosphere. Zotof,  following  his  wife,  stood  in  the 
center  of  the  room,  but  seemed  conscious  that,  for 
the  time,  there  was  no  need  of  speech  from  him, 
madame,  as  usual,  taking  the  lead. 

"  Be  seated  by  the  fire,  for  it  grows  cold  here," 
Zenaide  said  easily;  "and,  Touchet,  bring  hither 
some  wine." 

"  We  do  not  want  it,"  Madame  Zotof  exclaimed 
angrily ;  "  we  did  not  come  out  at  two  in  the  morn- 
ing for  entertainment.  I  came  here  for  that  mad 
niece  of  ours,  Madame  de  Brousson,  and  I  would 


A    DUEL    WITH  TONGUES. 

thank  you  to  order  her  to  join  me  immediately; 
her  conduct  is  unpardonable." 

Z^na'fde  looked  at  her  with  mild  surprise.  "  You 
labor  under  a  delusion,  Madame  Zotof,"  she  said 
gently;  "  mademoiselle  your  niece  is  not  here." 

Madame  Zotof  stared  at  her  with  exasperation 
showing  in  every  line  of  her  face. 

"  It  is  you,  Madame  de  Brousson,  who  labor 
under  a  mistake,"  she  replied  with  a  mocking 
imitation  of  Zenai'de's  manner.  "  A  little  bird 
told  me  that  my  niece  was  here,  and  that  it 
would  be  wise  for  you  to  surrender  her  to  her 
guardians." 

Zenai'de  smiled.  "  It  is  unwise  to  listen  to  the 
counsel  of  little  birds,  madame,"  she  remarked 
sweetly,  "  since  your  little  bird  was  possessed  of 
the  spirit  of  untruth." 

"  It  was  not  so  small  a  bird  as  you  think," 
Madame  Zotof  exclaimed.  "  It  was  a  double- 
headed  eagle,  and  it  spoke  the  truth." 

"  How  could  it,"  Zena'fde  said  with  a  little 
laugh,  "  since  it  was  double-tongued  and  therefore 
versed  in  duplicity?" 

"  Beware,  madame  !  "  cried  Madame  Zotof;  "  the 
eagle  knows  how  to  avenge  both  insult  and 
injury." 

My  wife's  face  flushed  with  quick  indignation. 
"  Threats  are  wasted  upon  me,  Madame  Zotof," 
she  said  haughtily ;  "  I  am  not  so  poor  a  coward 
as  to  fear  even  an  imperial  eagle." 


2l6  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

"  You  will  find  that  it  has  both  beak  and  talons, 
madame,"  the  other  woman  replied. 

"  Have  done  with  this,  wife,"  Zotof  exclaimed 
suddenly.  "  What  profit  is  it?  In  plain  language, 
M.  le  Marechal,  his  imperial  Majesty  has  notified 
us  that  my  niece  is  in  your  house,  and  commanded 
us  to  take  her  away.  We  must  obey." 

"  That  may  be,  M.  Zotof,"  I  replied  haughtily ; 
"  but  it  does  not  signify  that  a  marshal  of  France 
must  obey  you." 

He  looked  at  me  gravely,  evidently  embarrassed 
by  the  position  in  which  he  found  himself,  but 
stubbornly  determined  to  obey  the  czar. 

"  It  is  true,  M.  le  Vicomte,"  he  said,  "  that  I  can- 
not compel  you  to  obey  my  master,  yet  we  are  in 
Moscow,  and  the  King  of  France  does  not  reign 
here.  However,  I  ask  you,  as  one  man  may  ask 
another,  in  all  courtesy,  to  deliver  my  niece  into 
my  hands." 

"And  I  reply  in  the  same  spirit,  monsieur,  that 
your  niece  is  not  in  my  house,"  I  said  courteously. 

He  seemed  for  the  moment  perplexed ;  but 
Madame  Zotof  grasped  the  truth  of  the  matter 
at  once. 

"  She  was  here,"  she  exclaimed  in  her  high  voice. 
"  Where  have  you  sent  her?  " 

"  Madame  forgets,"  interposed  Z^naifde,  suavely, 
"  that  if  she  cannot  control  her  own  niece,  it  is  cer- 
tainly not  in  our  power  to  do  so ;  that  is  demand- 
ing a  good  deal  of  two  strangers." 


A   DUEL    WITH  TONGUES.  2 1/ 

The  other  woman  turned  upon  her  with  a  flash 
of  temper.  "  Perhaps,  Madame  de  Brousson,"  she 
said  hotly,  "  you  can  also  repudiate  your  knowl- 
edge of  M.  de  Lambert's  persistent  pursuit  of 
Mademoiselle  Zotof." 

My  wife  smiled,  her  composure  still  unruffled. 
"  I  do  not  venture  to  account  for  the  love  affairs  of 
M.  de  Brousson's  suite,"  she  said  suavely;  "it  is 
customary  in  France  for  the  families  of  the  two 
young  people  to  manage  these  matters." 

"  And  customary  for  French  people  out  of 
France  to  aid  and  abet  a  young  gallant  in  his 
pursuit  of  another  man's  niece,"  Madame  Zotof 
retorted  sharply. 

"  I  really  cannot  say,  madame,"  Zena'fde  replied 
with  naivete,  "  for,  you  know,  I  am  myself  a 
Russian." 

Madame  Zotof  stood  biting  her  lip,  too  angry  to 
keep  up  the  play  of  words,  and  her  husband  was 
red  with  impatience.  I  regarded  the  scene  with 
intense  enjoyment.  It  was  a  fair  match  between 
two  women,  and  Zenai'de,  having  the  better  com- 
mand of  her  temper  and  the  sharper  wit,  was  lash- 
ing her  opponent  to  fury.  Meanwhile  every 
moment's  delay  was  precious  to  mademoiselle. 
Zotof  took  matters  into  his  own  hands ;  he  went  to 
Zenafde,  and  looked  at  her  with  almost  an  appeal 
in  his  eyes. 

"  Madame,"  he  said,  "  be  kind  enough  to  pro- 
duce my  niece." 


2l8  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

Madame  de  Brousson  threw  out  her  hands  with 
a  comic  gesture  of  despair. 

"  M.  Zotof,"  she  exclaimed,  "  I  am  not  a  ma- 
gician !  Mademoiselle  is  not  here." 

"  I  should  like  to  look  behind  you  in  those 
rooms,"  cried  Madame  Zotof,  pointing  her  finger 
at  the  door  that  led  into  the  other  apartments. 

Z6naYde,  seeing  instantly  an  opportunity  for  de- 
lay, was  all  complaisance. 

"  You  shall  be  gratified,"  she  said  sweetly. 
"  Philippe,  lead  us  with  a  light." 

Madame  Zotof  was  a  little  dashed  by  her  ready 
compliance,  but,  still  full  of  suspicion,  followed 
her  closely,  as  I  took  the  taper,  and,  opening  the 
door,  conducted  them  slowly  through  the  rooms. 
Ze"naYde  consumed  much  time  by  insisting  that 
Madame  Zotof  should  look  behind  every  arras  and 
into  every  cupboard,  and  Madame,  full  of  doubt 
and  eagerness,  peered  into  the  crevices  and  behind 
the  doors  ;  her  husband  following  with  a  stolid 
obstinacy  that  did  not  permit  him  to  see  how  en- 
tirely they  were  playing  into  my  wife's  hands.  As 
we  passed  on  without  success,  madame's  face  fell, 
and  I  saw  the  suspicion  in  her  pale  eyes  grow  more 
intense  as  she  began  to  realize  that  there  was  a 
possibility  that  her  niece  had  evaded  her,  even 
though  we  were  both  in  the  house.  At  the  door 
of  my  wife's  apartment  I  detained  the  councillor, 
and  the  two  women  went  in  alone,  while  we  stood 
on  the  threshold.  It  was  a  strange  scene;  the 


A   DUEL    WITH  TONGUES.  2 19 

room  was  brightly  lighted  both  with  tapers  and  by 
the  logs  blazing  on  the  hearth.  The  walls  were 
covered  with  tapestries,  and  Madame  Zotof  went 
about  lifting  them  up  and  searching  for  the  truant, 
while  ZenaTde  stood  in  the  center  of  the  room, 
her  figure  clearly  outlined  in  its  dignified  repose, 
and  a  smile  of  scorn  on  her  face,  her  blue  eyes 
following  the  other  woman's  quick  movements. 
Never  were  two  women  so  strongly  contrasted; 
the  fine  form  and  stately  head  of  Madame  de 
Brousson  dwarfing  the  smaller  figure  of  Madame 
Zotof,  whose  face  was  naturally  homely  and 
shrewish ;  her  eyes  of  that  cold,  pale  blue  that  is 
opaque,  and  her  mouth  like  a  slit,  while  her  chin 
projected.  She  had  too  an  affectation  of  youth  that 
was  absurd.  When  she  had  quite  completed  her 
investigation  and  was  satisfied  that  mademoiselle 
was  not  there,  she  paused  a  moment  confounded. 

"You  have  had  the  pleasure  of  searching  my 
house,  Madame  Zotof,"  Z6naifde  said  with  a  cold 
smile,  "  and  now  I  have  the  pleasure  of  asking  you 
to  leave  it  with  what  speed  you  may." 

She  spoke  with  scorn,  and  Madame  Zotof  re- 
coiled before  the  unexpected  attack ;  she  felt  that 
she  had  overstepped  the  bounds  of  propriety,  and 
that  my  wife  was  justified  in  her  retort.  After 
a  moment  she  recovered  and  made  a  sweeping 
curtsy. 

"  You  carry  things  with  a  high  hand,  madame," 
she  said  bitterly,  "  but  his  Majesty  the  Czar  will 


220  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

have  satisfaction.  You  cannot  spirit  away  my 
niece  without  accounting  for  it." 

"  You  speak  wildly,"  replied  ZenaTde,  haughtily ; 
"  from  your  own  statement,  I  understand  that  your 
niece  has  gone,  and  you  are  searching  for  her,  but 
I  see  no  reason  for  the  accusation  that  I  took  her 
from  your  house.  It  is  absurd !  " 

"  You  may  not  have  taken  her  from  my  house, 
but  you  certainly  sent  her  from  yours,"  madame 
replied  quickly. 

"  That  is  your  conclusion,  madame,"  ZenaTde 
said  calmly;  "  and  if  you  are  quite  done  with  your 
search,  I  will  bid  you  good-morning,  for  I  find 
myself  in  sore  need  of  repose." 

"  Do  not  allow  me  to  disturb  you,"  Madame 
Zotof  retorted  with  mock  courtesy;  "  my  husband 
and  I  will  withdraw  instantly,  and  report  to  the 
czar  that  you  have  found  means  to  despatch  Najine 
to  some  unknown  spot." 

"  As  you  will,  madame,"  Z6na'ide  retorted  with 
assumed  weariness ;  "  but  be  careful  to  adhere  to 
the  truth,  for  sometimes  kings  are  exacting." 

Madame  Zotof  grew  red  with  anger.  "  Madame 
is  kind,"  she  exclaimed  ;  "  on  my  word,  I  never  re- 
ceived such  treatment.  I  am  requested  to  go,  and 
accused  of  falsehood  in  a  breath.  Truly,  French 
manners  have  not  improved  the  Russian  woman." 

Ze"naifde  had  her  hand  on  the  door  in  the  act  of 
closing  it  upon  the  other,  but  she  paused  with  a 
little  soft  laugh  of  disdain. 


A   DUEL    WITH  TONGUES.  221 

"  I  am  rebuked,  madame,"  she  said  lightly,  "  but 
you  must  remember  that  the  provocation  was 
great ;  "  and  with  that  she  shut  the  door,  leaving  me 
with  the  pair  upon  my  hands,  —  M.  Zotof  angry 
and  embarrassed,  and  madame  fuming  with  passion 
but  still  ready  to  lead. 

"  Come,  Zotof,"  she  said  curtly,  passing  me 
without  a  glance ;  "  it  is  a  waste  of  time  to  dally 
here.  Najine  has  duped  us  again.  Why  stand 
there  gaping?  Find  a  way  out  of  this  difficulty !  " 
and  she  walked  on  before  us  like  a  huge  bird 
whose  plumage  had  been  ruffled  in  the  fray. 

"  Permit  me  to  conduct  you,  madame,"  I  said 
graciously,  advancing  with  the  light;  "the  stairs 
are  dark  and  somewhat  steep." 

"  Nay,  I  shall  not  break  my  neck,"  she  retorted 
with  a  discordant  laugh ;  "  I  am  sure  of  foot. 
You  will  be  sorry  for  this  night's  work,  M. 
1'Ambassadeur." 

"  That  is  true,"  said  Zotof,  as  he  came  slowly  down 
behind  us.  "  I  am  truly  sorry,  M.  le  Marechal,  that 
you  have  mixed  yourself  up  in  this  matter." 

"  I  thank  you  for  your  solicitude,  monsieur  and 
madame  both,"  I  replied,  shading  the  taper  from 
the  wind,  for  Touchet  had  already  opened  the 
door  and  their  attendants  were  waiting  at  the 
threshold.  "  I  trust,  however,  that  I  shall  sur- 
mount the  embarrassments  of  the  occasion,  and 
hope  that  the  king  my  master  will  not  resent  the 
discourtesy  shown  to  his  subjects." 


222  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

At  this  Zotof  stopped  with  his  mouth  open,  his 
breath  coming  fast,  for  he  was  a  very  stout  man. 
It  was  obviously  a  new  light  on  the  situation ;  but 
madame  chose  to  ignore  it,  merely  gathering  her 
skirts  about  her  as  if  she  shook  off  the  dust  of  my 
dwelling. 

"  I  should  like,"  she  remarked,  eying  me 
keenly,  "  to  know  where  M.  de  Lambert  is  at  this 
moment." 

I  smiled.  "  Madame  asks  too  much  of  me," 
I  said,  shrugging  my  shoulders.  "  I  am  not 
omniscient." 

"  You  have  a  devil  of  diplomacy,  monsieur,"  she 
retorted  sharply;  then  turning  on  her  stout  and 
slow  moving  lord,  "  Come,  come,  Zotof,  we  have 
been  fools  long  enough ;  the  day  is  breaking." 

But  he  let  her  go  out,  and  then,  pausing  on  the 
threshold,  looked  back  at  me. 

"  I  may  have  seemed  discourteous,  M.  1'Ambas- 
sadeur,"  he  said  too  low  for  her  ears;  "  but  women 
will  be  women,  and  we  came  at  the  command 
of — of  one  in  authority." 

"  Of  the  czar,  monsieur,"  I  replied  with  a  frank- 
ness that  made  him  wince.  "  I  understand,  and 
bear  you  no  ill  will ;  but,  M.  Zotof,  no  Frenchman 
endures  such  impertinence  with  patience;  there- 
fore let  this  be  the  last  time  that  either  you  or 
madame  your  wife  trespass  upon  my  hospitality 
after  such  a  fashion ;  "  and  with  this  I  closed  the 
door  sharply  in  his  face. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

MENTCHIKOF. 

AN  hour  after  daybreak,  Touchet  came  to  me 
with  the  information  that  one  of  the  imperial 
equerries  was  in  waiting.  I  had  been  endeavor- 
ing to  snatch  a  few  hours'  rest,  but  roused  myself 
at  once,  and  throwing  on  some  clothing  went  out 
into  the  salon  and  received  the  czar's  messenger. 
He  was  a  young  fellow,  who  had  been  instructed 
to  see  me  before  delivering  his  document,  —  a 
packet  with  the  imperial  seal.  I  was  not  sur- 
prised, on  opening  it,  to  find  M.  de  Lambert's 
passports,  with  a  formal  note  to  me  requesting 
that  the  young  man  be  sent  at  once  to  France. 

"  M.  de  Lambert  is  absent,"  I  said  to  the 
equerry,  "but  as  soon  as  he  returns  I  will  inform 
him  of  the  czar's  pleasure." 

The  Russian  seemed  satisfied  with  my  assurance, 
and  with  a  few  civil  words  departed,  evidently 
having  been  instructed  to  serve  his  notice  with  all 
due  respect  to  me. 

The  whole  affair  was  profoundly  annoying,  and 
I  wished  from  my  heart  that  M.  de  Lambert  had 
found  it  convenient  to  fall  in  love  at  home.  I  was 
well  aware  that  nothing  but  force  would  induce 


224  **f  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

him  to  leave  Moscow  at  this  crisis,  and  bitterly 
repented  my  folly  in  bringing  a  young  court  gal- 
lant in  my  suite.  How  to  get  him  out  of  the 
imbroglio  with  a  whole  skin  was  a  difficult  ques- 
tion, and  I  was  not  reassured  by  the  thought  that 
Catherine  Shavronsky  was  still  under  a  cloud.  I 
determined  to  see  Mentchikof  at  my  earliest  op- 
portunity and  feel  his  pulse  on  the  situation.  His 
threats  against  mademoiselle  were  not  to  my 
comfort,  but  I  was  convinced  that  he  would  never 
resort  to  extreme  measures  while  there  was  a 
possibility  of  reinstating  the  Livonian  in  favor. 

The  day  passed  without  event,  and  the  inaction 
of  all  persons  concerned  was  not  altogether  satis- 
factory. I  feared  that  some  trouble  was  brewing, 
and  was  not  quieted  by  the  delay  in  the  return  of 
M.  de  Lambert;  he  and  Pierrot  did  not  arrive 
until  the  following  morning.  They  were  travel- 
stained  and  weary,  but  exultant;  they  had  con- 
ducted mademoiselle  safely  to  her  aunt  at  Troi'tsa. 
Before  allowing  M.  de  Lambert  to  remove  the 
dust  of  the  journey,  I  handed  him  the  czar's  docu- 
ment without  comment,  watching  his  face  while  he 
read  it.  His  expression  was  both  scornful  and 
perplexed,  and  his  cheek  flushed  scarlet  as  he 
flung  the  packet  on  the  table. 

"Mafoi/"  he  exclaimed  with  impatience,  "the 
czar  takes  me  for  a  fool  if  he  fancies  that  I  can 
be  packed  off  at  his  pleasure  and  leave  made- 
moiselle to  his  tender  mercy !  " 


MENTCHIKOF. 


225 


"You  forget,  monsieur,"  I  said  gravely,  "that 
he  is  master  here." 

"  I  do  not  forget,"  he  returned  passionately, — 
" parbleu!  it  is  thrown  in  my  teeth  at  every  turn,  — 
but  I  am  a  French  soldier,  and  forty  czars  shall 
not  intimidate  me." 

"  Bravo,  monsieur !  "  I  retorted,  clapping  my 
hands  ;  "  but  how  do  you  propose  to  beard  the 
lion  in  his  den?" 

"  I  will  find  a  way  to  defeat  him,"  he  replied 
quietly;  "he  cannot  always  conquer  circum- 
stances." 

While  he  was  talking,  Touchet  came  to  the  door 
and  addressed  him. 

"  There  is  a  youth  below,  sir,"  he  said,  "  who 
would  speak  with  you  alone." 

M.  de  Lambert  looked  up  in  surprise.  He  had 
not  had  the  opportunity  to  lay  aside  his  cloak,  and 
he  picked  up  his  sword  from  the  table  and  started, 
as  he  was,  to  the  door. 

"  Be  careful,"  I  said  to  him  at  once ;  "  you  are  in 
a  delicate  position  —  take  no  hasty  step." 

"  It  can  be  nothing  of  importance,"  he  replied, 
"  but  I  thank  you  for  the  caution,  M.  le  Marechal." 

With  those  words  he  went  down  the  stairs  to  the 
door,  and,  Pierrot  at  the  moment  bringing  in  my 
breakfast,  I  sat  down  by  the  fire  to  eat  it,  while  my 
equerry,  giving  place  to  Touchet,  went  to  seek  a 
little  rest  himself.  In  a  moment  Zena'fde  came  in 
through  the  corridor  and  joined  me  at  the  table. 


226  Afi  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

"  Who  went  out  the  door,  Touchet  ? "  she 
asked. 

"  M.  de  Lambert  is  talking  to  a  lad  there,"  I 
explained. 

"  Not  now,  "  she  said  at  once ;  "  some  one  went 
out  and  closed  the  door." 

I  rose  and  went  to  the  window  in  time  to  see 
M.  de  Lambert  walking  away  alone  and  at  a  rapid 
pace. 

"  On  some  fool's  errand,"  I  muttered  to  myself, 
and  went  back  to  the  chair,  explaining  the  depar- 
ture with  impatience. 

Ze"na'fde  looked  disturbed,  and  was  yet  more 
troubled  when  I  found  an  opportunity  to  show 
her  the  passport. 

"  You  should  not  have  allowed  him  to  go  un- 
attended, Philippe,"  she  said  gravely ;  "  he  is  sur- 
rounded by  dangers  and  so  rash  and  headstrong." 

"  By  all  the  saints,  madame  !  "  I  exclaimed,  "  I 
cannot  be  his  guardian.  He  has  been  here 
scarcely  more  than  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  and 
has  not  removed  the  dust  of  his  long  ride;  how 
could  I  foresee  his  immediate  departure?" 

Madame  de  Brousson  sighed.  "  I  feel  as  if  we 
were  responsible  for  him,"  she  remarked  pen- 
sively, "  and  you  and  I  both  know  the  methods 
here  more  thoroughly  than  he." 

"  I  am  half  thankful  for  his  passports,"  I 
grumbled,  "  since  Russia  is  no  place  for  a  young 
courtier." 


MENTCHIKOF.  22/ 

As  I  spoke,  I  looked  up  and  caught  my  wife's 
eyes  fixed  upon  me  with  an  arch  glance  of  amuse- 
ment. She  laughed  softly. 

"  If  you  had  possessed  your  mature  wisdom 
twenty  years  ago,  M.  le  Vicomte,"  she  said  gravely, 
"  we  should  never  have  met." 

I  had  risen  from  my  chair  and  I  made  her  an 
obeisance. 

"  I  am  convicted,  madame,"  I  replied  with  mock 
gravity,  "  and  crave  your  permission  to  withdraw." 

Touchet  came,  at  the  moment,  with  my  mantle 
and  sword,  and,  taking  him  for  an  attendant,  I 
went  to  Mentchikofs  house.  As  I  approached  it, 
I  noted  with  amusement  the  certain  indications  of 
the  humor  of  a  court.  A  week  before,  he  had 
been  the  czar's  favorite,  the  patron  of  a  beautiful 
woman  who  was  likely  to  .be  the  successor  of 
Anna  Mons,  and  the  courtyard  and  hall  had  been 
crowded  with  courtiers  and  those  miserable  crea- 
tures who  fawn  upon  the  man  of  the  hour.  But 
for  a  few  days  the  sunshine  of  imperial  favor  had 
been  obscured,  and  lo,  the  gay  host  of  butterflies 
had  fluttered  to  some  brighter  spot.  The  entrance 
was  deserted,  and  a  solitary  usher  conducted  me 
through  the  splendid  salons  to  the  small  room  in 
the  wing  where  the  great  man  worked  alone.  I 
had  not  seen  Mentchikof  since  the  day  that  we 
parted  on  his  stairs,  with  his  veiled  threat  against 
mademoiselle  in  my  ears,  and  I  approached  him 
now  with  some  feelings  of  curiosity.  How  would 


228  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

the  pampered  favorite  endure  this  season  of 
neglect?  how  would  the  darling  of  a  court  face 
the  solitude  of  a  discarded  counsellor?  Without 
any  ceremony,  the  usher  threw  open  the  door  and 
I  stood  face  to  face  with  Alexander  Mentchikof. 
He  sat  in  a  large  chair  by  his  writing-table,  in  an 
easy  attitude ;  his  left  elbow  resting  on  the  arm  of 
his  chair,  his  right  arm  thrown  across  the  table; 
the  pen,  still  wet  with  ink,  in  his  fingers,  while  his 
left  hand  supported  his  chin,  for  his  head  was 
bent  in  thought  and  his  fine  face  was  unusually 
grave  in  its  repose.  His  rich  dress  of  black 
velvet  was  arranged  as  carefully  as  if  for  some 
court  function,  and  the  blue  ribbon  of  the  Order 
of  Saint  Andrew  showed  on  his  breast.  He  greeted 
me  without  emotion  and  with  his  usual  urbanity, 
asking  me  to  be  seated. 

"  There  are  chairs  in  plenty  to-day,  M.  le 
Marechal,"  he  remarked,  smiling,  as  he  glanced 
at  the  vacant  room ;  "  you  find  my  state  re- 
duced, and  my  friends  "  —  he  laughed,  looking  at 
me  with  those  keen  brilliant  eyes,  "  my  friends  are 
running  for  a  safer  covert.  It  reminds  me  of  an 
ancient  legend,  —  of  a  great  lion  to  whom  all 
the  beasts,  through  fear,  paid  court.  The  lion 
had  a  favorite,  a  mouse,  whom  he  guarded  ten- 
derly, and  all  the  other  beasts  paid  homage  to  it, 
telling  it  that  it  resembled  its  patron,  until  the 
mouse,  through  conceit,  offended,  and  the  lion 
deserted  it  in  anger.  Immediately  all  the  beasts 


MENTCHIKOF.  22Q 

departed,  save  one,  who  swallowed  the  wretched 
little  mouse.  Presently,  the  lion,  returning,  found 
his  pet  gone,  and  was  enraged,  and  fell  upon 
the  beast  who  had  eaten  it,  and  tore  him  and 
drove  off  the  others,  and  was  afterwards  a  scourge 
because  no  animal  dared  any  more  to  try  to 
soothe  his  mood."  Throwing  out  his  hands  with 
a  gesture  of  disdain,  he  added,  "  I  am  waiting  to 
be  devoured." 

"  It  is  easy  to  draw  a  parallel,"  I  said  thought- 
fully, "for  afterwards  no  man  will  rule  the  heart 
of  this  lion." 

He  laughed  bitterly.  "  Fools  rush  upon  their 
fate,  M.  le  Marechal,"  he  rejoined;  "each  man 
thinks  that  he  is  born  to  scale  the  dizzy  heights 
of  fame.  The  greater  the  fool,  the  more  eager 
he  is  for  the  attempt.  Unhappily,  they  find  their 
error  out  too  late,  and  run  headlong  to  their 
ruin." 

"  I  have  often  considered  whether  it  was  worth 
while  or  not,"  I  remarked  quietly,  "  the  glitter 
of  a  court  dazzles,  but  its  honors  are  hollow." 

Mentchikof  smiled.  "  It  is  easy  to  philoso- 
phize in  the  hour  of  good  fortune,  M.  1'Ambassa- 
deur,"  he  replied  dryly,  "  but  in  the  day  of  evil  it 
is  difficult  to  apply  it.  We  who  have  tasted  the 
sweets  of  power  find  the  loss  a  bitter  one.  How- 
ever, sometimes  our  friends  desert  too  soon,  and 
Fortune  changes  when  it  is  least  expected." 

"  It  will  be  so  with  you,  monsieur,"  I  said  with 


230  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

conviction;  "meanwhile  I  find  myself  also  in  em- 
barrassment. This  morning  I  received  this  com- 
munication from  the  czar." 

He  held  out  his  hand  for  the  papers  with  an 
expression  of  curiosity;  he  was  far  from  suspect- 
ing their  contents,  for,  after  glancing  over  the 
documents,  he  looked  at  me  in  open  astonishment, 
smiling  a  little  at  the  gravity  of  my  face. 

"  When  a  man  is  a  king,  it  is  easy  to  dispose 
of  rivals,  monsieur,"  he  remarked  quietly;  "it 
makes  the  less  fortunate  envious." 

I  laughed.  "  The  case  is  peculiar,  however," 
I  replied,  "  for  M.  de  Lambert  is  a  young  hot-head 
and  ill  to  guide;  it  will  be  difficult  to  send  him 
away.  I  have  had  some  hope  that  this  order 
might  be  reversed  or,  at  least,  a  delay  per- 
mitted." 

"  It  might  have  been,"  Mentchikof  replied 
thoughtfully ;  "  but,  unhappily,  Mademoiselle  Sha- 
vronsky's  folly  has  made  it  impossible  for  me  to 
arrange  it.  His  Majesty  would  be  instantly  sus- 
picious of  any  interference  on  my  part.  I  fear, 
M.  le  Mare'chal,  that  the  young  man  must  go." 

I  did  not  reply  at  once,  and  he  folded  the 
papers  gravely  and  returned  them  to  me ;  as  he 
did  so,  he  glanced  at  me  keenly  and  smiled. 

"  Where  is  Mademoiselle  Zotof  ? "  he  asked 
abruptly. 

For  the  moment  I  was  taken  unawares  and 
hesitated  to  reply,  and  he  laughed. 


MENTCHIKOF. 


231 


"  You  must  inquire  of  the  Councillor  Zotof,"  I 
said  with  composure,  meeting  his  eye. 

"  If  rumor  makes  no  mistake,  sir,"  he  rejoined 
quietly,  "  the  councillor  is  anxious  to  know." 

I  had  risen  to  take  my  leave.  I  was  disap- 
pointed at  the  failure  of  my  effort,  and  no  longer 
disturbed  by  his  inquiry. 

"  You  ask  a  good  deal,  monsieur,"  I  remarked 
calmly.  "  If  the  young  lady's  uncle  cannot  find 
her,  certainly  a  stranger  could  not." 

He  was  still  laughing  softly  and  regarding  me 
from  beneath  his  drooping  lids. 

"  The  czar  may  not  think  the  same,"  he  said 
gently,  "  and  it  will  be  difficult  to  avoid  an  ex- 
planation. As  your  friend,  M.  le  Marechal,  I 
warn  you." 

I  thanked  him  and  withdrew,  satisfied  that  he 
was  really  unable  to  prevent  M.  de  Lambert's  dis- 
missal, but  still  gravely  uncertain  of  his  intentions 
toward  Najine.  He  would  never  accept  his  defeat 
with  resignation,  and  I  had  no  doubt  that  he  and 
Catherine  were  deep  in  plot  and  counterplot. 
Meanwhile  M.  Guillaume  would  remain  in  Moscow 
at  his  peril,  and  I  shared  Ze"nai'de's  feeling  of  per- 
sonal responsibility.  I  must  send  him  away  at 
once,  or  conceal  him ;  and  he  would  dispute  either 
expedient.  Never  was  man  more  perplexed  than 
I,  as  I  walked  slowly  toward  my  quarters.  Ma- 
demoiselle, for  the  time,  was  safe,  but  it  was  mani- 
fest that  the  Livonian  girl  was  still  out  of  favor, 


232  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

and  the  czar's  fancy  for  Najine  was  likely  to  pre- 
vail; and,  after  all,  would  she  still  persist  in  her 
repugnance  to  a  crown? 

When  I  entered  the  house,  Pierrot  met  me  with 
a  grave  face. 

"  M.  de  Lambert  has  not  returned,"  he  said 
quietly,  "  and  he  went  out  without  eating  a 
morsel." 

I  paused  to  think.  It  was  not  reassuring,  and 
yet  there  was  a  possibility  that  there  was  no  cause 
for  apprehension. 

"  We  will  give  him  a  few  hours  more,  Pierrot," 
I  said;  but  I  was  ill  at  ease. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

MISSING. 

WHEN  the  day  was  far  spent  and  there  was 
still  no  sign  of  M.  de  Lambert,  I  began  to  share 
Madame  de  Brousson's  solicitude.  That  he  could 
be  again  duped  when  he  knew  that  Najine  was 
miles  away,  seemed  improbable,  but  I  could  ex- 
pect almost  any  folly  from  his  impetuosity.  Pier- 
rot had  been  out  in  search  of  him,  but  without 
result,  and  came  back  manifestly  disquieted,  for 
years  had  not  dulled  his  suspicion  of  the  Russian. 
He  told  me  too  that  he  had  seen  Tikhon  in  the 
vicinity  of  my  quarters,  and  I  saw  that  he  sus- 
pected some  plot  to  make  away  with  M.  Guillaume. 
This  seemed  improbable  to  me,  because  of  the 
czar's  order  for  his  departure,  for  it  would  be  un- 
necessary to  deal  summarily  with  the  young  man 
until  he  failed  to  obey  the  instructions.  However, 
I  became  uneasy  and,  ordering  my  horse,  took 
Pierrot  and  started  for  Prince  Dolgoruky's  house. 
I  could,  at  least,  observe  the  prince,  and  learn 
something  of  his  designs,  especially  if  he  had  really 
interfered  with  M.  de  Lambert.  We  rode  at  a 
smart  pace,  and  in  a  few  moments  I  was  dis- 


234  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

mounting  in  the  courtyard.  While  he  did  not 
assume  the  state  of  Mentchikof,  Dolgoruky  be- 
longed to  the  older  boyars,  and  there  was  more 
of  the  ceremony  of  twenty  years  before  about  his 
household.  I  was  ushered  into  his  presence  by 
an  old  Russian  attendant  who  had  probably  per- 
formed that  office  in  the  family  for  fifty  years. 
The  prince  was  not  alone,  but  surrounded  by  a 
group  of  friends,  and,  to  my  discomfiture,  attended 
by  Zotof,  who,  I  fancied,  smiled  a  little  at  my  en- 
trance. His  presence  disconcerted  me,  suggest- 
ing, as  it  did,  an  intimate  relation  between  the  two, 
and  therefore  strengthening  the  probability  of 
Dolgoruky's  interference  with  my  friend.  How- 
ever, I  put  a  bold  face  upon  the  matter,  and,  waiv- 
ing the  formal  courtesy  of  the  occasion,  spoke  to 
the  point,  inventing  a  story  for  the  purpose  of 
entrapping  him. 

"  I  come  on  a  pressing  errand,  prince,"  I  said 
at  once.  "M.  de  Lambert,  a  gentleman  of  my 
suite,  left  my  house  this  morning  at  a  summons 
from  one  of  your  household  and  has  not  yet  re- 
turned. His  presence  being  imperative  at  my 
quarters,  owing  to  a  message  from  his  Majesty 
the  Czar,  I  came  here  to  inquire  for  him.  Doubt- 
less you  can  tell  me  where  he  is." 

Dolgoruky  stared  at  me  with  an  astonishment 
that  was  either  genuine  or  exceedingly  well  feigned  ; 
then,  turning  to  his  friends,  he  exclaimed,  — 

"  I  call  you  to  witness,  gentlemen,  the  extraor- 


MISSING.  235 

dinary  demand  of  M.  de  Brousson.  He  asks  me 
to  produce  a  French  soldier  whom  I  have  not 
seen  for  at  least  a  fortnight  and  then  at  the 
palace. " 

"M.  de  Brousson  is  a  very  extraordinary  per- 
son," remarked  Zotof,  calmly.  "He  demands  M. 
de  Lambert  at  your  hands,  and  yet  refused  to  ac- 
count for  my  niece,  Najine  Alexeievna,  when  she 
visited  his  wife." 

"Then  let  us  make  a  bargain,  M.  1'Ambassa- 
deur, "  said  Dolgoruky,  smiling;  "if  you  will  pro- 
duce Najine  Zotof,  we  will  endeavor  to  find  M. 
de  Lambert." 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders.  "  I  am  not  a  ma- 
gician, gentlemen,"  I  said  dryly,  "but  I  must 
account  to  the  king  my  master  for  an  officer  of 
his  household  troops,  in  the  person  of  Guillaume 
de  Lambert.  King  Louis  loves  not  an  injury 
offered  to  any  true  Frenchman." 

The  Russians  looked  at  me  intently.  I  was 
standing  before  them,  my  hat  in  my  hand,  and  my 
cloak  still  thrown  across  my  shoulders,  armed  and 
booted  as  I  had  ridden,  and  I  was  measuring  them 
with  a  certain  scorn  of  their  ability  to  dupe  me, 
yet  curious  too  as  to  their  own  estimate  of  the 
situation,  for  I  no  longer  doubted  that  they  knew 
something  of  M.  de  Lambert. 

"All  honor  to  the  King  of  France,"  Dolgoruky 
replied  suavely ;  "  long  may  he  live  and  learn  to 
stand  with  Russia  against  the  madman  of  Sweden 


236  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

and  the  Turk !  Why  should  I  desire  to  offend  his 
Majesty? " 

"  Nevertheless,  the  king  will  be  gravely  of- 
fended, Prince  Dolgoruky,"  I  said  calmly,  "if  I 
cannot  account  for  this  young  man  who  has  served 
with  conspicuous  gallantry  in  the  armies  of 
France. " 

"Am  I  his  keeper,  M.  1'Ambassadeur?"  ex- 
claimed the  prince,  tartly.  "  Why  do  you  demand 
a  hot-headed  boy  at  my  hands? " 

For  a  moment  I  did  not  reply.  I  wished  my 
words  to  have  additional  weight,  and  I  let  a  si- 
lence intervene  and  then  spoke  with  deliberation. 

"I  asked  him  at  your  hands,  prince,"  I  said, 
"because  you  have  set  a  spy  upon  him  for  two 
months  and  more.  It  was  your  man,  Tikhon,  who 
dogged  his  steps  before  Apraxin  joined  the  pur- 
suit and  attempted  to  assassinate  him.  I  am 
responsible  for  his  life,  and  am  compelled  to  de- 
mand your  aid  in  my  search  for  him." 

Dolgoruky 's  face  flushed  deeply  at  my  words, 
and  I  saw  that  he  was  struggling  with  a  passion- 
ate impulse  to  reply  with  violence,  and  his  anger 
was  reflected  in  the  faces  of  his  friends.  But  he 
had  much  at  stake  and  was  something  of  a  diplo- 
mat ;  before  I  finished  speaking,  he  had  smoothed 
his  brow  and  was  looking  at  me  with  candid 
reproach. 

"You  do  me  foul  injustice,  M.  le  Vicomte,"  he 
said  plaintively;  "how  have  I  deserved  such  treat- 


MISSING.  237 

ment  at  your  hands?  My  assistance  you  shall 
have.  Tikhon  shall  go  with  you  into  every  corner 
of  Moscow,  to  search  for  this  young  gentleman." 

He  had  assumed  the  only  tone  possible  to  evade 
my  importunity,  and  I  was  astonished  at  the  ease 
with  which  he  played  the  injured  party.  I  could 
not  quarrel  with  so  passive  a  foe,  and  was  forced 
to  accept  Tikhon  for  what  he  was  worth  as  a 
guide.  I  had  no  authority  to  search  Dolgoruky's 
house,  and  indeed  doubted  that  he  would  attempt 
to  detain  M.  de  Lambert  there. 

So  it  was  that,  baffled  in  my  intention  of  taunt- 
ing him  into  an  acknowledgment  of  his  work,  I 
left  his  house  as  quickly  as  possible  to  prosecute 
my  search,  accompanied  by  Tikhon,  who  rode 
along  sullenly  enough  with  Pierrot,  for  he  proba- 
bly still  remembered  the  day  when  M.  de  Lambert 
had  stretched  him  on  the  pavement  of  the  Grand 
Square  of  the  Kremlin.  In  truth,  I  scarcely 
knew  what  use  to  make  of  the  silent  Russian,  who 
protested  an  ignorance  as  great  as  his  master's, 
but  whom  I  suspected  of  considerable  malevolence, 
for  he  was  not  the  man  to  forget  or  forgive. 

We  rode  back  rapidly  to  my  quarters  to  inquire 
if  M.  de  Lambert  had  returned  in  the  interval, 
and,  finding  that  he  was  yet  absent,  went  on  upon 
our  errand.  The  improbability  of  his  voluntarily 
staying  so  long  away  now  that  Najine  was  absent 
was  palpable  enough,  and  I  had  no  longer  any 
doubt  that  he  had  met  with  foul  play.  We  had 


238  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

searched  every  quarter  where  he  was  likely  to 
visit,  with  the  result  of  receiving  repeated  assur- 
ances that  he  had  not  been  seen  that  day,  and  I 
was  deeply  disquieted.  The  dusk  was  gathering, 
and  we  rode  back  upon  our  tracks  in  an  aimless 
fashion.  I  had  ordered  my  two  attendants  in 
front,  and  was  riding  several  yards  behind  ab- 
sorbed in  troubled  thought.  We  were  below  the 
Kremlin,  on  the  bank  of  the  Moskva,  and  so  lost 
was  I  in  meditation  that  I  started  when  my  horse 
shied  at  the  sudden  appearance  of  a  man  before 
him.  The  stranger  laid  his  hand  on  my  bridle,  and 
I  drew  my  pistol,  thinking  him  some  cut-purse. 

"You  stop  me  at  your  peril,  knave,"  I  said 
harshly,  wrenching  the  rein  free. 

"Do  not  shoot,  sir!"  he  exclaimed,  and  I  knew 
his  voice  at  once ;  it  was  the  Swedish  spy. 

"You  took  a  serious  risk,"  I  remarked,  putting 
up  my  weapon ;  "  what  would  you  have  from  me  ? " 

"You  are  searching  for  M.  de  Lambert,"  he 
said  quietly;  "I  have  heard  of  it.  That  man 
Tikhon  knows  something  —  and  also,  monsieur, 
Apraxin  is  here  again." 

I  started;  these  were  evil  tidings,  for  I  looked 
upon  him  as  an  assassin.  The  Swede's  knowledge 
did  not  astonish  me,  since  it  was  his  business  to 
acquire  information,  and  his  devoted  gratitude  had 
already  been  proved.  I  leaned  from  my  saddle 
and  spoke  to  him  in  a  low  tone. 

"I  thank  you,"  I  said;  "learn  all  you  can,  for 


MISSIMG. 


239 


I  fear  that  he  has  met  with  foul  play.      They 
desire  his  absence  or  his  death." 

"  Compel  yonder  man  to  speak,  M.  le  Vicomte," 
he  said  earnestly,  "and  I  will  do  my  best.  One 
good  turn  deserves  another ; "  and  with  these 
words  he  slipped  back  behind  the  shadow  of  a 
low  building,  and  I  rode  on. 

He  had  scarcely  detained  me  five  minutes,  but 
the  others  had  gained  upon  me  and  were  quite  a 
way  in  advance,  so  that  as  I  went  I  had  time  to 
formulate  a  plan  for  learning  something  definite 
from  Tikhon.  After  a  while  I  rode  faster  and, 
overtaking  them,  ordered  them  to  proceed  to  the 
Zemlianui-gorod  by  way  of  a  lonely  lane  with 
which  I  was  familiar.  It  was  now  quite  dark, 
and  the  quiet  of  the  hour  and  the  place  suited  my 
purpose.  When  we  had  reached  the  loneliest 
spot,  I  called  Pierrot  to  me  under  the  pretence 
that  my  saddle  needed  a  tighter  girth,  and  thus 
found  an  opportunity  to  whisper  a  word  or  so  in 
his  ear.  Tikhon  had  halted  and  was  waiting  in 
sullen  acquiescence,  when  Pierrot  and  I  rode  for- 
ward, one  on  either  side  of  him,  and,  Pierrot  seiz- 
ing his  horse's  rein,  I  pressed  my  pistol  to  his 
temple.  He  was  taken  unawares,  and  for  the 
moment,  I  think,  was  badly  frightened. 

"We  have  had  enough  of  this  child's  play,"  I 
said  sternly,  "and  now  you  can  tell  us  where  to 
find  M.  de  Lambert  or  you  can  die  —  like  the 
miserable  wretch  that  you  are." 


240  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

"I  know  nothing,"  he  replied  stubbornly;  "it 
will  avail  nothing  to  kill  me." 

"  Tush,  man ! "  I  exclaimed  sharply,  "  a  spy  is 
never  so  ignorant.  You  cannot  escape  me.  Either 
take  me  to  M.  de  Lambert,  or  tell  me  where  to 
find  him." 

"I  can  do  neither,"  he  retorted,  in  the  same 
sullen  tone,  gaining  courage  because  I  did  not 
immediately  execute  my  threat.  "  I  know  noth- 
ing, nor  does  the  prince  my  master. " 

"Probably  you  know  how  to  say  your  prayers," 
I  remarked  dryly,  "in  which  case  you  had  better 
say  them,  for  you  have  only  about  five  minutes  to 
live.  I  give  you  so  much  space  to  choose  be- 
tween confession  and  eternity." 

He  did  not  reply.  I  think  he  only  just  began 
to  believe  that  I  was  in  earnest.  He  was  not  a 
coward,  but  the  touch  of  cold  steel  thrills  even  a 
strong  man.  There  was  no  chance  of  escape  for 
him ;  we  were  in  a  desolate  spot,  and  the  night 
grew  intensely  dark.  There  was  no  sound  as  we 
sat  there  on  our  horses  but  their  occasional  res- 
tive movements.  Pierrot  held  his  bridle  with  an 
iron  grip,  and  I  had  covered  him  with  my  weapon. 
A  pistol-shot  more  or  less  would  not  be  noticed 
in  Moscow,  and  death  stared  him  in  the  face.  In 
the  silence  I  could  hear  his  breath  coming  short 
and  thick,  and  knew  his  heart  was  failing  him. 
He  could  not  see  my  face,  and  I  smiled  in  the 
darkness.  It  would  not  be  necessary  to  use  vio- 


MISSING.  241 

lence.  He  was  struggling  hard  with  himself,  and 
I  had  no  doubt  that  he  had  cause  to  fear  the  result 
of  a  confession.  Dolgoruky,  of  course,  had  bound 
him  to  fidelity,  and  it  was  possible  that  he  saw 
death  as  an  alternative  on  either  hand,  for  the 
prince  would  never  pardon  the  betrayal  of  his 
trust,  and  he  must  have  placed  great  confidence 
in  this  man  or  he  would  not  have  permitted  him 
to  go  with  me.  The  minutes  passed,  and  Tikhon 
was  silent,  still  doubtless  hoping  for  rescue.  The 
stillness  was  oppressive;  the  city  was  strangely 
quiet,  only,  far  off,  a  cathedral  bell  tolled  twice 
from  the  Kremlin.  Once  more  I  raised  and 
levelled  my  pistol. 

"The  time  has  expired,"  I  said  quietly.  "I 
shall  count  three  before  I  fire,  therefore  be  pre- 
pared for  eternity." 

Still  he  did  not  speak;  he  had  a  stubborn  cour- 
age which  was  slow  to  yield. 

"One,"  I  counted,  tightening  my  grip  upon  my 
horse's  rein,  for  it  seemed  as  if  the  fool  was  deter- 
mined to  rush  upon  his  fate  and  I  was  losing 
patience. 

"Two!" 

I  heard  him  draw  his  breath  with  a  gasp. 

"Wait!"  he  cried  thickly. 

It  had  come  at  last,  but  I  carried  things  with  a 
high  hand. 

"Do  not  trifle,"  I  exclaimed  sternly,  "you  are 
facing  death;  speak  the  whole  truth." 

16 


242  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

"You  are  a  hard  man,"  he  said  in  his  sullen 
voice.  "I  am  likely  to  die  in  either  case,  but  I 
am  not  prepared  now. " 

"Be  quick!"  I  cried  with  impatience;  "where 
is  M.  de  Lambert  ? " 

"Where  he  is  not  likely  to  escape  so  easily," 
he  answered,  with  a  certain  vicious  triumph  in  his 
tone;  "he  is  in  a  guard-room  of  the  Kremlin." 

I  started;  something  in  his  tone  convinced  me 
that  he  spoke  the  truth,  and  I  was  not  prepared 
for  it. 

"He  could  not  be  there  without  the  czar's 
order,"  I  exclaimed,  "and  I  have  his  passports." 

"He  was  committed  by  the  czar's  officers,"  he 
replied. 

"And  you  betrayed  him  into  their  hands,"  I 
said  fiercely. 

"I  did  not,"  he  replied  boldly;  "not  that  I 
bore  him  any  good-will,  but  I  had  no  need  to  do 
more  than  watch.  Zotof's  relative,  Apraxin,  did 
the  work." 

"  Ah !  "  I  ejaculated,  "  where  is  the  miserable 
coward  ? " 

"Truly,  I  know  not,"  Tikhon  said  bluntly;  "he 
is  a  sullen  boy  for  whom  I  have  no  love.  He  has 
doubtless  taken  care  to  escape  your  vengeance. " 

"Not  if  he  is  in  Moscow,"  I  said  sharply,  all 
the  while  thinking  of  some  way  out  of  the 
difficulty. 

"Are  you  satisfied,  M.  leVicomte?"  he  asked 


MISSING.  243 

after  a  moment ;  "am  I  at  liberty  to  live,  having 
betrayed  my  trust  ?  " 

"  If  what  you  have  told  me  proves  true,  you  are 
safe,"  I  replied  slowly;  "if  it  is  false,  you  will 
answer  for  it.  Let. go  his  rein,  Pierrot,  and  ride 
with  him  to  my  quarters,  and  let  him  not  escape 
your  close  surveillance  until  I  order  his  dismissal. 
I  have  another  errand. " 

I  watched  them  ride  away  until  their  dark  fig- 
ures became  parts  of  that  other  darkness,  and 
then,  turning  my  horse's  head,  made  all  speed  to 
the  Kremlin. 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

THE  MARRIAGE  OF  THE  DWARFS. 

I  RODE  toward  the  Kremlin  with  a  heavy  heart; 
the  perplexity  and  perils  of  my  position  were  in- 
creased a  hundredfold.     My  distance  from  my  own 
government  and  my  comparative  isolation  in  Mos- 
cow made  a  demand  for  justice  not  only  difficult 
but  practically  futile.     The  czar  had  no  right  to 
imprison  arbitrarily  one  of  my  suite,  but  how  ab- 
surd was  it  to  talk  of  privileges  to  the  autocrat  of 
all  the  Russias !      It  was  well    enough   to  carry 
matters  with  a  high  hand  and  threaten  the  wrath 
of  the  King  of  France  while  M.  de  Lambert  was 
a  free  man,  but  the  coup  d1  ttat  was  accomplished ; 
he  was  actually  in  a  Russian  prison,  and  might 
easily  starve  there  before  aid  could   come  from 
Versailles.     What  folly  had  led  him  into  the  trap? 
What  madness  on  his  part  had  prompted  this  sud- 
den seizure?     Not  only  did  I  find  these  questions 
difficult  to  answer,  but  I  found  it  difficult,   too, 
to  hit  upon  a  plan  of  action.      Never  was  man 
in  more  unfortunate  position,  —  responsible  for 
a  delicate  mission  to  the  king  my  master;  respon- 
sible for  a  reckless  young   soldier;    responsible 
for  the  honor  and   dignity  of   my  country,   and 


THE  MARRIAGE   OF  THE  DWARFS.         245 

dealing  with  a  man  of  violent  passions,  for  the 
czar  was  a  volcano  ready  to  breathe  smoke  and 
fire  at  a  moment's  provocation.  And  how  could 
I  approach  him  now?  Should  I  assume  igno- 
rance, and  appeal  to  him  to  aid  me  in  my  search 
for  M.  de  Lambert,  or  should  I  boldly  proclaim 
my  knowledge  of  the  imprisonment  and  demand 
justice  in  the  name  of  the  King  of  France?  I 
checked  my  horse  and  rode  slowly  to  give  myself 
time  for  thought.  On  the  whole,  I  reflected  that 
feigned  ignorance  would  suit  my  purpose  best, 
since  defiance  could  scarcely  help  me  and  might 
deeply  incense  the  czar.  There  was  one  chance 
in  a  hundred  for  the  young  man's  release,  and  that 
was  a  slender  one.  I  fancied  that  he  would  be 
offered  an  alternative ;  renunciation  of  mademoi- 
selle or  imprisonment,  perhaps  worse,  if  Peter 
dared  to  offer  a  deeper  injury  to  a  soldier  of 
France.  Knowing  the  czar  as  I  did,  I  doubted 
his  hesitation  at  anything,  especially  where  his 
personal  feelings  were  involved,  and  I  no  longer 
doubted  his  love  for  Najine.  How  tangled  is  the 
skein  of  our  existence !  Here  was  a  young  girl, 
simple,  beautiful,  innocent,  holding  in  her  hand 
the  knot  of  an  emperor's  destiny,  and  by  that 
accident  of  fate,  involving  so  many  other  lives  in 
the  meshes.  Here  were  love  and  hate,  malice  and 
revenge,  secret  treason  and  attempted  assassina- 
tion interwoven  by  the  accident  of  one  man's 
fancy,  simply  because  that  he  was  royal. 


246  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

Slow  as  had  been  the  latter  part  of  my  journey, 
it  was  accomplished  in  spite  of  my  reflections, 
and  I  found  myself  at  the  entrance  of  the  palace. 
My  dress  was  somewhat  disordered  by  hard  rid- 
ing, but  I  made  no  attempt  to  adjust  it,  for  it 
seemed  to  me  that  my  appearance  would  be  one 
evidence  of  the  urgency  of  my  errand.  Entering 
the  ante-room,  I  requested  an  audience  of  the 
czar.  The  chamberlain  hesitated  at  first,  saying 
that  his  Majesty  was  present  at  a  marriage  and 
would  scarcely  permit  an  interruption ;  but,  hear- 
ing that  my  business  was  imperative,  he  consented 
to  be  the  bearer  of  my  petition,  and,  departing  on 
his  errand,  left  me  for  half  an  hour  to  my  own 
reflections.  I  suspected  that  Peter  was  not  anx- 
ious to  receive  me,  and  speculated  not  a  little  on 
the  possibilities  of  the  approaching  interview, 
although  all  the  time  full  of  anxiety  for  M.  de 
Lambert,  knowing  something  of  the  treatment 
that  he  was  likely  to  receive.  After  my  patience 
was  nearly  exhausted,  the  chamberlain  returned 
and  informed  me  that  it  was  the  czar's  pleasure 
that  I  should  be  conducted  to  his  presence.  I 
followed  the  Russian,  expecting  a  private  audi- 
ence; but  instead  of  turning  towards  the  czar's 
own  apartments,  he  led  me  through  a  low  narrow 
passage  to  one  of  the  large  halls.  We  entered 
by  a  small  door  at  the  lower  end,  and  I  paused  a 
moment  on  the  threshold,  regarding  the  scene 
with  considerable  astonishment.  It  was  a  splen- 


THE  MARRIAGE   OF  THE    DWARFS.          247 

did  salon,  barbaric  in  its  gorgeous  colors,  which 
made  a  background  for  a  fantastic  painted  decora- 
tion of  palm-leaves  and  flowers,  and  it  was  spanned 
by  glittering  arches  supporting  the  vaulted  roof, 
and  was  lighted  by  a  thousand  tapers.  In  seats 
and  upon  cushions,  arranged  close  against  the 
four  walls,  reclined  the  gayest  courtiers,  the  wild 
coterie  that  constituted  Peter's  intimate  circle  of 
revellers.  The  center  of  the  room  was  occupied 
by  a  crowd  of  dwarfs,  of  both  sexes,  some  hide- 
ously and  grotesquely  deformed.  They  were  in 
charge  of  a  dwarf  marshal  who  had  eight  assist- 
ants, all  arrayed  in  gay  uniform,  bedizened  with 
tinsel,  and  they  were  executing  one  of  their  weird 
dances,  while  at  the  upper  end  of  the  apartment, 
leaning  back  in  his  chair  with  a  gloomy  face,  was 
the  czar.  After  a  moment's  observation,  I  under- 
stood the  scene :  there  had  been  a  marriage ;  two 
dwarfs  had  amused  the  audience  by  the  mockery 
of  such  a  wedding.  Those  unhappy  little  crea- 
tures were  kept  about  the  Russian  court,  its  play- 
things and  the  objects  of  many  a  grim  jest;  the 
spies  and  eavesdroppers  of  rival  factions;  the 
tools  and  the  dupes  of  the  gay  and  the  wicked; 
intimate  with  every  intrigue,  masters  of  every 
secret,  and  often  dangerous  in  their  hatred,  as 
such  misshapen  creatures  are  likely  to  be;  full  of 
malice  and  all  unkindness,  betraying  and  be- 
trayed; the  most  pitiful  and  the  most  miserable 
objects  of  that  brilliant  assemblage,  and  yet  reck- 


248  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

oned  to  be  one  of  its  sources  of  amusement; 
ministering  now  to  the  gloomy  temper  of  a  mas- 
ter whose  evil  spirit  was  upon  him,  for  I  saw,  at 
a  glance,  that  Peter  was  suffering  from  one  of 
those  seasons  of  depression  that  came  over  him 
like  a  cloud,  and  suggested  an  abnormal  condition 
of  mind  in  a  man  usually  so  forceful  and  full  of 
easy  good-humor,  with  all  his  violent  passions. 
A  great  soul  is  isolated,  and  as  the  tempests 
sweep  around  the  mountain's  loftiest  peak,  so  also 
must  storm  and  terror  sweep  sometimes  over  the 
spirit  that  has  been  set  amid  the  rulers  of  the 
earth.  As  the  dark  hour  came  upon  Saul,  so  also 
did  it  come  upon  the  greatest  Romanoff.  He  sat, 
shading  his  face  with  his  hand,  his  eyes  fixed 
gloomily  on  the  dwarfs;  two  of  the  little  crea- 
tures, gifted  with  singular  beauty,  were  sitting  at 
his  feet,  while  the  others  had  begun  a  country- 
dance,  called  by  the  Germans  Grossvater,  which 
Peter  himself  had  learned  when  in  his  merry 
mood  in  the  German  quarter;  but  to-night  no 
music  could  charm  him  into  the  mazes  of  the 
dance,  and  the  revelry  was  subdued,  for  the  court- 
ier is  quick  to  take  his  cue  from  the  imperial  tem- 
per. In  the  circle  immediately  about  the  czar,  I 
saw  Dolgoruky  and  Sheremetief,  and,  to  my  relief, 
at  a  little  distance  was  Mentchikof.  I  was  stand- 
ing with  the  full  length  of  the  salon  between  my- 
self and  the  imperial  party,  and  was  scarcely 
noticed  by  the  gay  young  nobles  near  me,  except 


THE  MARRIAGE    OF  THE  DWARFS.         249 

when  one  or  two  turned  to  stare  at  my  plain 
riding-suit  and  at  the  mud  upon  my  boots.  The 
chamberlain  who  had  brought  me  made  his  way 
slowly  to  the  upper  end  of  the  apartment,  and 
announced  my  presence  to  his  Majesty.  I  was 
watching  Peter  narrowly,  and  saw  him  glance  at 
the  man  with  a  frown,  his  face  almost  instantly 
convulsed  by  that  tic  which  made  his  features,  for 
the  moment,  terrible.  He  spoke  a  few  words  to 
the  chamberlain,  who  withdrew  a  little  way  and 
waited  while  the  czar  turned  his  attention  again 
to  the  dancers  and  I  stood  unnoticed  by  the  door. 
I  began  to  chafe  under  this  treatment,  for  not 
only  did  it  suggest  delay,  but  it  might  indicate  a 
possible  affront  to  me  as  an  ambassador,  for  Peter 
had  openly  called  me  an  envoy  of  France,  and, 
although  I  as  openly  disclaimed  it,  the  position 
was  awkward.  If  I  resented  the  neglect,  I  would 
double  and  treble  the  difficulties  of  my  situation 
and  of  M.  de  Lambert's.  However,  at  the  end 
of  a  quarter  of  an  hour  the  chamberlain  returned 
to  guide  me  through  the  throng  to  the  czar.  The 
dancing  had  ceased,  and  the  courtiers  mingled 
with  the  dwarfs  while  the  wine  flowed  freely.  It 
was  difficult  to  walk  through  the  crowded  room 
without  being  rudely  jostled,  and  once  I  nearly 
stumbled  over  a  dwarf  who  was  scrambling  about 
on  the  floor  after  a  jewel  that  had  fallen  from 
some  chain.  Peter  was  talking  earnestly  to 
Sheremetief,  but  as  I  approached,  he  dismissed 


250  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

those  immediately  about  him,  and  received  me 
almost  alone,  — for  the  babel  of  tongues  made  it 
impossible  to  overhear  a  conversation  carried  on 
in  a  low  tone.  The  expression  of  the  czar's  face 
was  still  gloomy,  and  he  greeted  me  with  a  cer- 
tain hauteur  that  suggested  a  remembrance  of  our 
last  meeting  and  his  defeat  at  the  hands  of  my 
wife.  He  measured  me  from  head  to  foot,  appar- 
ently noting  every  detail  of  my  disordered  dress 
and  the  pistols  at  my  belt. 

"You  are  welcome,  M.  1'Ambassadeur,"  he 
said  deliberately,  "although  you  come  booted 
and  spurred  and  armed  grimly  for  so  festive  an 
occasion." 

"I  crave  your  Majesty's  pardon,"  I  replied; 
"the  urgency  of  my  errand  must  be  my  apology 
for  this  untimely  and  unseemly  appearance." 

He  looked  at  me  with  well-feigned  surprise. 

"Your  errand  is  urgent,  then,  sir,"  he  remarked 
coolly ;  "  in  that  case  this  is  scarcely  the  time  or 
place  for  it.  However,  the  sooner  it  is  heard, 
the  sooner  it  is  over." 

"Your  Majesty's  permission  is  scarcely  as  gra- 
cious as  I  hoped  to  receive,"  I  said  coldly,  "but 
I  am  compelled  to  trespass  upon  your  patience. 
One  of  my  suite,  M.  de  Lambert,  has  been  miss- 
ing since  early  morning,  and  all  my  efforts  to  dis- 
cover him  have  been  unavailing.  I  received  his 
passports  and  intended  to  act  upon  them,  in  ac- 
cordance with  your  Majesty's  wishes;  but  he 


THE  MARRIAGE   OF  THE  DWARFS.          25  I 

almost  immediately  disappeared,  and  I  fear  that 
he  has  met  with  foul  play." 

Peter  listened  to  me  with  close  attention,  not 
by  the  movement  of  a  muscle  betraying  any  feel- 
ing upon  the  subject,  and  his  dark  eyes  searching 
my  face,  which  I  strove  to  render  as  immovable 
and  inscrutable  as  his  own. 

"This  young  man,  M.  de  Lambert,"  he  said 
slowly,  "  is,  I  hear,  something  of  a  wild  gallant ; 
therefore,  M.  le  Vicomte,  it  seems  to  my  poor 
judgment  that  you  make  too  much  oE  a  trifle.  He 
is,  doubtless,  absent  on  some  business  of  his  own, 
and  will  shortly  reappear.  I  see  no  reason  for 
your  apprehension  of  foul  play." 

"Unhappily,  your  Majesty,"  I  replied  boldly, 
"  there  are  but  too  good  grounds  for  such  appre- 
hensions. He  has  but  lately  recovered  from  a 
wound  dealt  by  the  hand  of  an  assassin." 

The  czar  started  slightly;  it  was  apparent  that 
he  was  ignorant  of  this  occurrence. 

"It  seems  strange,  M.  1'Ambassadeur,"  he  said, 
"  that  an  assassin  should  attack  one  of  your  suite 
and  you  make  no  complaint  to  the  authorities  or 
to  me." 

"  M.  de  Lambert  was  not  seriously  injured, 
your  Majesty,"  I  replied  quietly,  "and  I  did  not 
desire  to  accuse  a  member  of  a  family  near  your 
person." 

"Speak  plainly,  M.  de  Brousson,"  Peter  ex- 
claimed; "who  was  the  man?" 


252  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

I  knew  that  I  was  treading  on  delicate  ground, 
but  I  delivered  my  blow  calmly.  "  It  was  Yury 
Apraxin,  the  protdge"  of  M.  Zotof,"  I  said  with 
deliberation. 

The  czar  flushed  a  deep  red,  and  for  an  instant 
his  eyes  shot  fire.  He  recalled  the  scene  at 
Mentchikof's  house,  and  for  a  moment,  I  believe, 
thought  that  I  intended  to  insult  him;  then  he 
controlled  his  passion  and  leaned  towards  me, 
clenching  the  arms  of  his  chair  with  a  grip  that 
made  the  cords  stand  out  upon  his  hands. 

"  What  quarrel  had  he  with  M.  de  Lambert  ? " 
he  asked  in  a  low  voice,  but  with  an  emphasis 
that  was  ominous. 

I  had  assumed  an  air  of  innocence  and  candor. 
I  looked  straight  back  into  his  passionate  eyes, 
which  were  like  those  of  the  untamed  king  of 
beasts. 

"  M.  de  Lambert  has  deeply  admired  M.  Zotof's 
beautiful  niece,  doing  homage  to  her  beauty  and 
purity,  as  we  all  do,  your  Majesty,"  I  replied  easily ; 
"and  M.  Apraxin,  having  been  betrothed  to 
mademoiselle,  resented  M.  de  Lambert's  admira- 
tion for  his  fiancee'' 

The  czar's  brow  grew  like  a  thundercloud ;  he 
knew  nothing  of  Apraxin's  early  betrothal,  and  I 
began  to  enjoy  the  situation  keenly.  He  uttered 
a  fierce  exclamation,  and  I  saw  his  lips  twitch. 

"  Najine  Zotof  betrothed !  "  he  said  under  his 
breath,  and  then  added :  "  Upon  my  soul,  M.  1'Am- 


THE  MARRIAGE   OF  THE  DWARFS.         253 

bassadeur,  I  thank  you  for  your  tidings.  It  seems 
that  my  own  people  do  not  often  speak  truth  to 
me.  Apraxin  —  the  marplot  boy  !  Did  your 
friend  run  him  through  for  his  pains?  " 

"No,  your  Majesty,"  I  replied  quietly;  "my 
man  ran  to  M.  de  Lambert's  aid,  and  Apraxin  fled 
like  a  caitiff." 

"  Two  Frenchmen,  and  yet  he  was  not  killed !  " 
the  czar  exclaimed  furiously;  "where  were  their 
swords?  " 

"  The  night  was  dark,  your  Majesty,  the  ground 
slippery,  and  Frenchmen  are  not  used  to  fight  foes 
who  strike  in  the  back,"  I  said  coolly. 

Peter  bit  his  lip.  "  You  may  bless  your  fortune 
that  you  are  a  foreigner,  M.  de  Brousson,"  he  ex- 
claimed with  passion ;  "  I  have  borne  much  from 
you.  If  you  had  been  my  subject,  I  would  have 
had  your  head  long  since." 

"  That  belongs  to  the  King  of  France,"  I  replied 
with  composure,  "  and  I  trust  it  to  your  Majesty's 
generosity." 

"  The  king  my  brother  has  to  thank  my  forbear- 
ance that  you  carry  it  back  to  him,"  he  retorted 
tartly.  "  You  are  an  old  fox,  M.  1'Ambassadeur ; 
but  you  always  carry  matters  with  a  high  hand." 

"  Your  Majesty  compliments  my  wit  too  much," 
I  replied  courteously;  "  but  I  crave  now  your  per- 
mission to  prosecute  a  thorough  search  for  M.  de 
Lambert." 

The  czar  made  a  gesture  of  impatience.     "  I  am 


254  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

tired  of  the  name,"  he  exclaimed ;  "  prosecute 
your  search  by  all  means,  and  let  me  hear  no  more 
of  him.  He  has  his  passports,  let  him  use  them ; 
Moscow  is  no  place  for  him." 

"  Will  your  Majesty  order  one  of  your  officers 
to  furnish  me  with  the  means  to  continue  my 
search?  "  I  asked,  pressing  my  point. 

The  czar  frowned,  and  I  saw  that  he  hesitated. 
No  doubt,  well  aware  of  M.  de  Lambert's  arrest, 
he  found  himself  in  an  awkward  situation.  How- 
ever, he  called  an  attendant,  and,  scribbling  a  few 
lines  on  a  paper,  despatched  him,  and  then  turned 
to  me.  He  had  risen  from  his  chair  and  stood 
there,  among  the  gay  costumes  of  his  court,  a  mas- 
sive figure  in  the  uniform  of  a  German  ship-cap- 
tain, without  an  ornament  or  an  order. 

"  You  will  find  an  officer  with  the  proper  cre- 
dentials at  your  disposal  in  the  ante-room,  M. 
1'Ambassadeur,"  he  said  curtly  ;  "  use  what  speed 
you  may.  Find  this  Frenchman  and  send  him 
across  the  border,  or  it  may  be  necessary  for  me  to 
hasten  his  departure  ;  "  and  with  these  words  he 
turned  his  back  upon  me,  and,  walking  through 
the  throng  of  dwarfs,  who  fell  back  at  his  approach 
until  he  had  a  wide  path  across  the  salon,  he  passed 
out  and  closed  the  door.  A  chill  fell  upon  the  as- 
semblage, and  men  stared  at  me  as  if  I  were  some 
ill-omened  visitor.  I  found  myself  the  center  of 
observation  as  I  made  my  way  to  the  entrance  by 
which  I  had  come,  and  went  out  unaccosted  by 


THE  MARRIAGE  OF  THE  DWARFS.          2$$ 

any  one,  which  made  me  suspect  that  the  court 
knew  something  of  the  seizure  of  my  friend,  and 
that  there  was  peril.  I  was  not  reassured,  and  had 
accomplished  nothing.  I  hurried  through  the 
ante-rooms  to  the  farther  one,  where  I  found  an 
officer  of  the  Preobrazhensky  regiment  waiting  for 
me,  and,  for  a  moment,  thought  that  foul  play  was 
intended ;  but  he  addressed  me  with  deference  and 
showed  his  orders  to  obey  my  instructions.  We 
went  out  together,  and  began  a  tedious  and  of 
course  fruitless  search  for  M.  de  Lambert.  It  was 
an  easy  matter  for  the  imperial  officer  to  take  me 
to  every  spot  but  the  right  one,  and  I  felt  that  I 
would  have  given  much  to  read  the  lines  that  the 
czar  had  scribbled  upon  that  slip  of  paper.  A 
weary  search  it  was,  from  place  to  place ;  the  Rus- 
sian always  courteous,  inscrutable,  unruffled,  and 
ignorant — as  only  a  man  can  be  whose  business 
it  is  to  be  sublimely  stupid. 


CHAPTER    XX. 

THE   FAITHFUL   SPY. 

IN  asking  for  an  officer  to  assist  in  my  search 
for  M.  de  Lambert,  I  had  hoped  to  force  the  czar's 
hand,  and  to  obtain  some  direct  information  as  to 
his  intentions  toward  his  captive,  but  I  had  failed 
in  this,  and  the  Russian  was  of  no  assistance  to 
me;  on  the  contrary,  he  became  such  a  burden 
that  after  a  few  hours  I  signified  my  readiness  to 
dispense  with  his  services,  and  saw  him  depart  with 
feelings  of  deep  relief.  He  left  me  at  the  door  of 
my  own  lodgings,  and  I  went  in  to  inquire  for  tid- 
ings, only  to  find  that  there  were  none,  and  that 
Pierrot  had  Tikhon  still  in  custody.  I  was  not 
willing  to  let  him  go  until  I  had  absolute  proof  of 
the  truth  of  his  information,  and  so  left  him  to  the 
tender  mercies  of  my  equerry.  It  was  late,  but  I 
found  Z6 nai'de  waiting  for  me  with  an  anxious  face, 
having  spent  the  night  in  watching,  all  her  fears 
alarmed  by  M.  de  Lambert's  disappearance,  for, 
though  a  brave  woman,  she  was  always  sensitive  to 
anxieties  for  my  personal  safety,  and  she  under- 
stood only  too  well  the  intrigues  of  the  court. 


THE  FAITHFUL  SPY.  257 

"  Where  have  you  been  ?  "  she  asked  as  she 
helped  me  to  lay  aside  my  cloak  and  sword. 
"Have  you  any  good  tidings?" 

"  None,"  I  replied  gloomily,  "  and  I  have  seen 
the  czar." 

"  It  is,  then,  as  we  feared,"  she  exclaimed  ;  "  he 
has  been  arrested  ?  " 

I  inclined  my  head.  "  So  Tikhon  tells  me,  and  I 
believe  he  speaks  the  truth.  The  czar  was  in  an 
evil  humor  and  determined  to  baffle  me.  It  is  a 
sorry  affair,  and  if  something  does  not  occur  to 
mend  it  inside  of  twenty-four  hours,  I  must  even 
send  a  messenger  post-haste  to  Versailles." 

Zenai'de's  face  grew  grave,  and  she  stood  looking 
at  the  fire  thoughtfully.  "  A  sorry  matter,  indeed," 
she  said  after  a  moment,  "  and  it  makes  me  shud- 
der when  I  think  of  what  may  happen  to  M.  de 
Lambert  before  we  can  do  anything  for  him. 
Poor  Najine !  " 

"  I  do  not  believe  that  the  czar  will  attempt  to 
harm  him,"  I  replied  ;  "  the  King  of  France  is  no 
weak  foe,  and  I  have  endeavored  to  impress  them 
here  with  the  personal  importance  of  Guillaume 
de  Lambert." 

Zenai'de  shook  her  head.  "You  do  not  know 
Russia  yet,  Philippe,"  she  said,  "  or  you  would 
not  lay  that  unction  to  your  soul.  I  thought  that 
you  understood  better  the  passionate,  impulsive 
nature  of  Peter  Alexeivitch." 

"  Ay,  madame,"  I  said,  "  I  know  the  Russian, 
17 


258  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

but  I  know  also  that  the  name  of  Louis  of  France 
is  a  power,  and  Peter  never  forgets  altogether, 
even  in  his  love  fever,  his  quarrel  with  Charles  of 
Sweden.  If  he  affronts  the  king  my  master,  how 
can  he  foresee  the  result  in  Saxony?  The  German 
princes  are  only  too  anxious  to  partition  Augus- 
tus' patrimony,  and  with  a  new  alliance  what 
could  not  Charles  XII.  accomplish?  Poland  would 
be  lost,  not  only  to  Augustus,  but  to  Peter,  and 
with  it  the  Neva.  No,  no,  Madame  de  Brous- 
son,  the  czar  dare  not  openly  insult  Louis  de 
Bourbon." 

Zena'fde  shrugged  her  shoulders.  "  You  do  not 
understand  Peter,"  she  said  with  decision ;  "  he  is 
in  love,  and  he  will  allow  his  impulses  and  his 
jealousies  to  rule  him  exactly  as  if  he  had  been 
born  a  peasant.  The  czar  is  very  genuine,  and  I 
believe  I  admire  him  for  it.  If  he  is  a  king,  he  is 
also  a  man,  and  when  the  depths  of  that  soul  are 
stirred,  there  is  a  mighty  tempest." 

"  By  Saint  Denis,  madame  !  "  I  exclaimed,  "  I 
shall  begin  to  be  jealous  of  his  imperial  Majesty. 
I  never  knew  before  how  much  you  admired 
him." 

She  smiled.  "  Yes,"  she  said  thoughtfully,  "  I 
believe  I  do  admire  him ;  I  believe  that  I  am  even 
sorry  for  him.  He  was  married  to  an  ignorant, 
bigoted  woman  who  belongs  to  a  past  for  which 
the  czar  has  no  sympathy.  There  could  have 
been  no  affection  between  them,  and  he  can  have 


THE  FAITHFUL  SPY.  259 

little  hope  in  the  czarevitch.  In  a  manner,  I 
have  been  converted  to  your  opinions.  Peter  has 
deep  feelings  and  a  certain  simplicity;  I  believe 
that  he  sincerely  desires  to  be  loved  by  Made- 
moiselle Zotof.  I  can  see  just  how  her  beauty, 
her  wit,  her  spirit  appeal  to  him.  While  I  sympa- 
thize with  her,  and  while  her  love  for  M.  de  Lam- 
bert is  natural  and  sweet,  yet  I  am  not  without 
regret  —  I  confess  it  —  that  she  cannot  be  Czarina 
of  Russia." 

"  Upon  my  word,  Zenalde,"  I  said  dryly,  "  you 
should  plead  the  czar's  cause.  To  me  he  seemed 
without  so  fine  a  perception." 

"  A  violent  man,  Philippe,"  she  replied  gently, 
"  but  with  some  magnificent  qualities,  and,  after  all, 
the  son  of  Alexis  the  most  Debonair  and  Natalia 
Kirilovna,  a  beautiful  and  ambitious  woman  and  a 
generous  and  benignant  man;  had  he  not  the 
birthright  to  a  noble  soul?  And  how  much  more 
lovable  than  —  " 

I  held  up  my  finger  in  warning.  "  Have  a  care, 
madame,"  I  said. 

"  Nay,  Philippe,"  she  replied,  "  I  will  say  it  — 
than  the  king  our  master." 

"  Treason,"  I  said  lightly,  "  high  treason.  It 
will  become  my  duty,  madame,  to  report  you  at 
Versailles." 

As  I  spoke,  Touchet  came  to  the  door  to  an- 
nounce that  a  stranger  desired  to  see  me  at  once 
on  urgent  business. 


260  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

"  Bid  him  come  here,"  I  said,  and  then  added, 
"  Nay,  I  will  go  down  —  "  But  ZenaTde  interrupted 
me. 

"  No,  no,"  she  exclaimed,  "  let  him  come  here. 
If  his  errand  is  honest,  he  can  face  the  light,  and 
we  have  had  too  much  of  conspiracy.  The  next 
move  will  be  against  you,  and  I  will  not  be  put 
off —  I  understand  my  own  people  better  than  you 
do,  and  I  am  your  best  defence." 

"  He  asked  me  to  give  this  token  to  your  Excel- 
lency," Touchet  said,  handing  me  a  ring. 

It  was  my  own  which  I  had  given  to  the  Swede, 
and  I  bade  Touchet  bring  him  in  at  once. 

"  Your  fears  were  groundless,  Zena'fde,"  I  re- 
marked, smiling;  "you  are  over-anxious." 

"  It  may  be,  but  I  cannot  let  you  run  any  risks," 
she  replied  gently,  laying  her  hand  upon  my  arm. 
"  There  are  but  two  Philippes  in  the  world  for  me, 
you  and  my  boy,  and  I  cannot  afford  to  lose  either 
of  them." 

Looking  down  upon  her  fair  and  anxious  face, 
I  kissed  her. 

"  We  are  a  couple  of  fools,  madame,"  I  said, 
"  and  I  hear  the  feet  of  Touchet  and  the  Swede 
upon  the  stair." 

"  By  your  leave  I  will  stay,"  she  said,  retiring  to 
the  alcove  by  the  chimney,  as  the  door  opened  to 
admit  my  visitor. 

It  was  Lenk,  and  I  was  anxious  to  hear  his 
tidings,  for  I  was  confident  that  he  had  found 


THE  FAITHFUL  SPY.  26 1 

some  means  to  locate  M.  de  Lambert,  and  my 
surmise  proved  correct. 

"  You  are  welcome,  Lenk,"  I  said,  "  for  I  doubt 
not  that  you  have  some  information." 

"  I  have,  M.  de  Brousson,"  he  replied  gravely ; 
"  it  is  as  I  thought.  He  was  betrayed  by  Apraxin 
into  the  hands  of  the  czar's  officers,  and  is 
imprisoned  in  the  Kremlin." 

"  That  is  what  Tikhon,  Prince  Dolgoruky's 
equerry,  has  already  confessed,"  I  said ;  "  but 
where  is  he  confined?" 

"  In  a  cell  behind  the  old  torture-room." 

I  started.  It  was  a  grim  place  in  which  to 
incarcerate  an  innocent  man  and  a  Frenchman. 
I  felt  the  blood  burn  in  my  veins ;  it  was  an  insult 
to  France. 

"Is  it  possible  to  communicate  with  him?"  I 
asked  quickly. 

Lenk  shook  his  head.  "  No,  it  was  only  by 
accident  that  I  was  enabled  to  locate  him,  your 
Excellency,"  he  replied,  "  and  no  one  else  would 
have  been  so  fortunate." 

I  looked  at  him  curiously.  "  You  have  honey- 
combed the  court  secrets,  I  see,"  I  remarked 
quietly  ;  "  how  is  it  that  you  obtain  such  informa- 
tion and  yet  go  about  unsuspected  and  unappre- 
hended?" 

He  smiled.  "  Is  it  possible  that  you  have  been 
so  long  in  the  courts  of  Europe,  monsieur,"  he 
replied,  "  and  yet  do  not  know  that  treachery  is 


262  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

common,  that  no  man  is  safe  in  the  hands  of  his 
friends?  There  are  many,  too,  who  betray  through 
folly.  The  brain  of  a  fool  is  like  an  egg :  you  can 
draw  out  the  contents,  without  breaking  the  shell." 

I  looked  at  him  attentively.  I  saw  that  I  had 
been  deceived  in  him,  and  that  there  was  a  shrewd 
nature  behind  that  broad  blunt  countenance,  and 
that  those  small  light  eyes  were  keen  with  intelli- 
gence. His  face  was  like  a  mask,  and  served  his 
purpose  well. 

"  Tell  me,"  I  said  after  a  pause,  "  how  is  this 
cell  situated  in  which  M.  de  Lambert  is  confined? 
Can  it  be  reached?  Can  a  rescue  be  planned?" 

"  Impossible,  your  Excellency,"  he  replied  at 
once;  "  it  is  an  interior  cell,  and  is  in  charge  of  the 
Preobrazhensky  guards,  alike  incorruptible  and 
indomitable.  We  must  devise  some  other  way." 

I  paced  the  floor  in  silence.  I  was  at  a  loss  what 
to  do  or  say.  The  situation  was  gloomy,  and  I 
began  to  entertain  serious  fears  for  my  unfortunate 
friend. 

"  Where  is  Apraxin  ?  "  I  asked  at  last. 

"  At  the  house  of  Zotof,"  the  Swede  replied 
promptly.  "  I  traced  him  there.  It  was  his  mes- 
senger who  induced  M.  de  Lambert  to  leave  your 
quarters  in  the  morning." 

I  could  not  myself  imagine  what  had  induced 
M.  Guillaume  to  be  again  deceived  by  the  villain, 
but  for  the  time  thought  little  of  it,  only  endeavor- 
ing to  find  a  way  to  unravel  the  difficulty. 


THE  FAITHFUL  SPY.  263 

"  We  must  have  Apraxin,"  I  said  decidedly, 
"  and  at  once." 

"  That  will  be  no  easy  matter,"  the  Swede 
remarked  calmly ;  "  he  is  a  miserable  knave,  and  on 
the  constant  outlook  for  trouble." 

"  Nevertheless  we  must  have  him,"  I  exclaimed ; 
"  we  must  find  a  way  to  secure  him  without 
bloodshed." 

"  I  am  willing  to  undertake  the  errand,  M.  de 
Brousson,"  the  spy  said  quietly;  "  but  I  cannot 
hit  upon  a  way  to  catch  him  as  readily  as  I  would 
like." 

Z^naYde  came  suddenly  out  of  her  retirement. 
She  had  understood  my  plan  at  once. 

"  I  have  it,"  she  said  eagerly ;  "  we  must  use  his 
own  methods.  We  must  decoy  him  into  an 
ambush." 

"  Of  course,"  I  retorted  with  a  shrug ;  "  but  how, 
madame?  " 

"  Wait  but  a  moment,"  she  replied  quickly, 
"and  I  will  show  you  the  way;  "  and  she  hurried 
from  the  room,  her  face  flushed  with  excitement. 

I  looked  after  her  in  surprise.  "  I  cannot  see 
the  way  so  easily,"  I  said. 

"  Madame  will  show  us,"  the  Swede  replied 
calmly ;  "  a  woman's  wit  has  often  cut  the  knot 
when  all  else  failed." 

"  I  trust  that  it  will  be  so  in  this  case,"  I  said, 
although  I  could  not  imagine  what  was  my  wife's 
plan. 


264  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

In  a  moment  she  came  back  with  something  in 
her  hand. 

"  Behold  the  key  to  the  difficulty,"  she  said  tri- 
umphantly, holding  out  a  bit  of  pale  blue  ribbon. 

I  stared  at  the  ribbon  and  at  her  in  silence,  and, 
seeing  my  bewilderment,  she  laughed  merrily. 

"You  grow  dull,  Philippe,"  she  said  chidingly; 
"  it  is  mademoiselle's  favorite  color.  It  fell  from 
her  robe  upon  my  floor,  and  I  saved  it  with  some 
inspiration  that  it  would  serve  a  good  turn.  Send 
it  to  M.  Apraxin  with  a  message.  They  know  not 
yet  where  to  find  Najine,  and  are  eager  for  tidings. 
Trust  me,  he  will  fall  into  the  snare  as  easily  as 
did  M.  de  Lambert." 

"  Madame  is  right,"  the  Swede  declared  with 
sparkling  eyes ;  "  he  will  jump  at  a  token  from 
mademoiselle,  and  I  know  a  lad  who  can  take  it 
unsuspected  and  get  into  Zotof  s  house." 

"  Apraxin  is  a  greater  fool  than  I  think  him,  if 
he  follows  that  bit  of  ribbon,"  I  remarked  grimly ; 
"  however,  it  is  worth  the  trial,  and  we  have  no 
time  to  lose.  Therefore,  Lenk,  send  your  mes- 
senger with  speed;  but  stay  —  where  shall  we 
bid  the  fellow  come?" 

We  all  stood  thinking  for  a  moment,  and  then, 
again,  madame  found  a  solution  for  the  problem. 

"  Bid  him  come  to  that  quiet  street  behind  the 
palace  of  Mentchikof,"  she  said ;  "  then  he  will 
think,  quite  naturally,  that  Mentchikof  has  been 
trying  to  abduct  mademoiselle,  and  that  she 


THE  FAITHFUL   SPY.  26$ 

sends  to  her  relative  to  rescue  her,  despairing  of 
other  aid." 

"  Your  wit  is  excellent,  madame,"  I  said ;  "  this 
may  prove  a  clever  trick.  As  for  you,  Lenk,  send 
the  message,  and  Pierrot  and  Touchet  shall  help 
you  to  secure  him ;  but  it  must  be  without  blood- 
shed." 

The  Swede  smiled.  "  Have  no  fear,  your  Excel- 
lency," he  replied ;  "  assassins  do  not  love  an  open 
fight,  and  it  will  be  three  to  one." 

"  He  may  come  reinforced,"  ZenaYde  said ;  "  he 
would  scarcely  come  alone." 

"I  differ  from  you,"  I  rejoined.  "  Zotof  will  not 
commit  himself  to  open  support  of  Apraxin  while 
the  czar  feels  as  he  does  toward  the  scapegrace, — 
for  not  even  his  share  in  securing  M.  de  Lambert 
will  excuse  his  rash  offence  in  his  Majesty's  eyes." 

I  went  on  to  give  Lenk  some  specific  instructions, 
and  to  thank  him  for  his  aid,  which  was  indispen- 
sable, although  dangerous,  for  the  help  of  a  Swedish 
spy  would  ruin  us  if  it  were  discovered ;  but  a  des- 
perate game  must  be  desperately  played. 

The  Swede  had  just  left  the  room  when  there 
was  a  sound  of  voices  in  the  hall,  and  Madame  de 
Brousson,  who  had  been  listening  at  the  door, 
turned  to  me  with  a  startled  face. 

"  I  cannot  be  mistaken,"  she  exclaimed  ;  "  it  is 
Najine!" 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

NAJINE. 

MADAME  DE  BROUSSON  and  I  stood  looking  at 
each  other  in  silence.  What  miracle  was  this? 
In  another  moment  there  were  steps  upon  the 
stair,  and  Najine  rushed  into  the  room  followed  by 
her  woman,  both  of  them  cloaked  and  travel-stained. 
Mademoiselle  ran  up  to  me,  and,  throwing  back 
her  hood,  showed  a  pale  face  and  eyes  shining 
with  excitement. 

"  Oh,  tell  me  that  it  is  not  true !  "  she  cried  in- 
coherently ;  "  tell  me  that  I  am  deceived,  that 
Guillaume  is  free  !  " 

I  looked  at  her  in  astonishment ;  by  what  witch- 
craft had  she  learned  of  her  lover's  imprisonment? 
Reading  in  my  face  and  in  my  hesitation  a  con- 
firmation of  her  worst  fears,  she  stamped  her  foot 
upon  the  floor  with  an  outburst  of  anger  that  sent 
the  blood  to  her  cheeks. 

"  How  could  you  permit  it?  You,  an  ambas- 
sador !  How  dare  they  molest  him  ?  He  has 
done  no  wrong,"  she  cried. 

"  Bear  with  me,  mademoiselle,"  I  replied  sooth- 
ingly; "  it  was  scarcely  my  fault,  and  you  must  re- 


NAJ1NE.  267 

member  that  in  the  eyes  of  the  czar  he  has  done 
grave  wrong." 

She  looked  at  me  amazed,  not  at  first  under- 
standing, and  I  smiled. 

"  M.  de  Lambert  loves  you,  mademoiselle,"  I 
explained  quietly,  "  and  that  is  a  sufficient  sin  in 
his  Majesty's  eyes." 

She  flushed,  and  her  glance  kindled.  "  Then  he 
must  imprison  me  also,"  she  exclaimed,  "  for  I, 
too,  am  in  error.  Why  should  I  not  be  likewise 
arrested?  I  love  M.  de  Lambert." 

"  Would  that  he  could  hear  you  and  see  you 
now,  mademoiselle !  "  I  said,  for  never  had  she 
looked  more  beautiful  than  in  her  passionate  ex- 
citement; her  spirited  face  aglow  with  emotion, 
and  her  blue  eyes  almost  black  in  their  dilation. 
At  my  words  she  recollected  her  position  and 
blushed,  her  dark  lashes  suddenly  veiling  her 
glance.  She  was  charming.  Z6na'fde,  seeing  her 
confusion,  took  her  hand  and  drew  her  down  upon 
the  seat  beside  her. 

"My  dear,"  she  said  kindly,  "tell  us  how  you 
learned  so  quickly  of  M.  de  Lambert's  misfortune." 

"  Through  Neonila,"  she  replied ;  and  told  us 
briefly  that  her  woman  had  left  word  with  a  faith- 
ful relative  of  their  probable  refuge,  and  he  had 
sent  instant  tidings  of  M.  de  Lambert's  fate,  learned 
at  once  from  one  of  Zotofs  serfs.  Najine  had 
acted  with  her  usual  impulsiveness,  turning  a  deaf 
ear  to  the  warnings  and  remonstrances  of  her  aunt. 


268  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

While  she  was  talking  to  my  wife,  I  went  out,  in 
time  to  detain  the  Swede  until  I  could  arrange 
matters  with  her,  for  doubtless  she  could  help  us 
in  the  execution  of  our  scheme,  and  returning  I 
unfolded  it.  Her  first  thought  was  one  of  pas- 
sionate indignation  against  Apraxin,  whom  she  de- 
spised. Indeed,  it  was  probably  the  sting  of  her 
scorn  that  spurred  him  on  to  many  of  his  acts  of 
treachery  and  revenge. 

"  A  sullen  boy,"  she  said  with  her  quick  disdain ; 
"  I  was  betrothed  to  him  as  a  child,  but  would 
never  have  married  him." 

"  We  must  have  this  boy,  though,  mademoiselle," 
I  remarked,  "and,  if  it  can  be,  without  bloodshed. 
Mayhap,  you  can  devise  some  way  to  compass  our 
design." 

She  sat  thinking  for  a  while.  "  I  will  write  a 
line  to  accompany  the  ribbon,"  she  said  at  last; 
"  nothing  is  easier,  and  it  will  convince  him.  He  is 
not  clever,  only  cunning.  Give  me  a  bit  of  paper, 
madame,  and  a  pen,  and  the  deed  is  soon  done." 

I  had  both  at  hand,  and  passed  them  to  her;  but 
she  paused  with  the  pen  suspended  in  mid  air  and 
looked  at  me  with  sudden  reproach. 

"  What  a  traitor  you  make  me,  monsieur !  "  she 
exclaimed ;  "  here  am  I  striving  to  decoy  Apraxin 
into  a  trap  !  " 

"  Treachery  begets  treachery,  mademoiselle,"  I 
replied ;  "  and  he  intended  death,  while  we  —  "  I 
laughed  and  shrugged  my  shoulders. 


NAJINE.  269 

She  remained  thoughtful,  with  her  hand  sus- 
pended above  the  paper;  then,  bending  over,  she 
wrote  her  message  and  pushed  it  toward  me. 

"  It  is  done,  M.  le  Vicomte,"  she  said  gravely. 
"  I  have  done  for  M.  de  Lambert  what  I  would 
not  do  for  myself;  I  have  written  an  untruth  —  or 
that  which  is  the  same  as  an  untruth.  But  no 
harm  must  come  of  it,  even  to  a  traitor,  and  I 
must  go  with  the  Swede  and  your  equerry." 

"  We  will  both  go,  mademoiselle,"  I  responded 
cheerfully,  "  and  I  apprehend  no  mischief,  for  I 
do  not  think  your  quondam  fiance  loves  an  open 
fight." 

Her  lip  curled  scornfully.  "  He  is  a  coward," 
she  said ;  "  he  was  always  a  coward.  I  never  knew 
him,  even  as  a  lad,  to  fight  his  equal,  but  always 
some  puny  boy  who  could  not  strike  again,  or  the 
child  of  a  serf." 

"  And  yet,"  I  remarked  thoughtfully,  "  he  dared 
the  wrath  of  the  czar." 

"  He  must  have  been  flushed  with  wine,"  made- 
moiselle replied  disdainfully ;  "  indeed,  I  heard  my 
uncle  say  so." 

"  I  do  not  think  your  uncle  loves  him,"  I  said. 

"  He  never  did,"  she  rejoined ;  "  Yury  was  called 
my  aunt's  nephew  and  was  her  favorite.  She 
spoiled  him  as  a  child,  and  even  now  would  cham- 
pion his  cause  if  she  did  not  see  a  vision  of  a 
greater  climax  to  her  ambition.  She  could  not 
understand  my  dislike  for  the  miserable  boy." 


2/0  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

I  looked  at  mademoiselle  and  smiled.  How 
hard  Madame  Zotof  must  have  found  it  to  put 
a  curb  upon  that  proud  young  spirit,  and  how 
eternal  must  have  been  the  clash  between  them ! 

I  took  her  missive  to  the  Swede,  and  sent  him 
upon  his  errand.  The  hour  appointed  for  the 
tryst  was  at  daybreak,  as  the  night  was  now 
far  advanced,  and  it  would  be  impracticable  to 
attempt  a  meeting  before  the  morning.  We  all 
chafed  at  the  delay,  but  it  was  inevitable,  and 
we  were  forced  to  be  content  with  the  progress 
we  had  made.  Najine  sat  with  us  over  the  fire 
into  the  small  hours  before  my  wife  persuaded 
her  to  rest  after  her  long  and  rapid  journey. 
She  was  the  personification  of  youth  and  vigor, 
determined,  energetic,  vivacious.  I  saw  clearly 
the  attraction  that  had  won  the  heart  of  the 
czar.  Here  was  a  complete  contrast  to  the  igno- 
rant and  bigoted  Eudoxia;  to  the  unfaithful  Ger- 
man, Anna  Mons;  a  contrast  even  greater,  too,  to 
the  beauty  and  passion  of  the  Livonian  peasant 
girl.  Here  was  a  young  woman,  beautiful  and 
charming,  with  a  ready  wit  and  a  pure  mind ; 
spirited,  gay,  quick-tempered ;  the  very  woman 
to  attract  and  hold  the  fancy  of  a  man  like  the 
czar.  I  watched  her  as  she  sat  at  my  fireside  in 
her  simple  garb,  the  cloak  laid  aside  and  the 
outlines  of  her  graceful  figure  clearly  defined, 
her  proud  head  setting  so  handsomely  on  her 
shoulders,  and  the  color  varying  on  her  cheeks 


NAJINE.  271 

as  the  light  varied  in  her  dark  blue  eyes.  My 
wife  and  I  were  opposite  to  her  and  observed 
her,  both  fascinated  by  the  picture  that  she  made. 
Zena'fde  had  always  been  almost  entirely  French, 
by  instinct,  by  education,  by  inclination,  in  spite 
of  her  Russian  birth ;  but  mademoiselle  was  wholly 
Russian,  and  interested  me  as  a  type  of  another 
nation.  She  told  us  of  her  journey  back  from 
Troi'tsa,  of  the  hard  riding  and  the  dangers  of 
being  discovered  by  some  of  Zotof's  household  or 
his  friends,  for  she  had  no  doubt  that  by  this  time 
her  guardians  knew  of  her  flight  to  her  aunt. 

"  You  have  a  brave  spirit,  mademoiselle,"  I  said 
quietly ;  "  it  was  a  long  and  lonely  journey,  and 
you  had  no  escort  but  your  woman." 

She  looked  at  me  and  smiled.  "  I  am  a  sol- 
dier's daughter,"  she  replied  proudly;  "I  have 
never  known  what  it  was  to  be  afraid." 

" Bien,  mademoiselle,"  I  replied;  "and  soon,  if 
all  goes  well,  you  will  be  a  soldier's  wife." 

She  blushed  prettily,  and  laughed.  "  I  must 
endeavor  to  be  brave  enough,  M.  le  Marechal,  to 
be  worthy  to  be  the  wife  of  a  soldier  of  France," 
she  said  sweetly. 

I  made  her  an  obeisance.  "  France  is  honored, 
mademoiselle,"  I  said,  smiling;  "  but  truly,  I  know 
no  braver  man  than  this  same  Guillaume  de  Lam- 
bert, and  the  only  fault  I  find  in  him  is  that  of 
young  blood,  too  great  an  impetuosity." 

"  I  remember  the  day,  Najine,"  laughed  Zenaide, 


2/2  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER, 

"  when  Philippe  de  Brousson  was  as  headstrong 
as  any  boy  that  he  can  name,  and  so  impetuous 
that  there  is  many  a  long  chapter  of  the  accidents 
which  befell  him.  He  has  grown  grave  now,  and 
preaches  to  the  young  upon  the  faults  in  which  he 
himself  excelled.  Take  heart,  mademoiselle,  M. 
de  Lambert  will  yet  emerge  triumphant." 

"I  do  not  doubt  it,"  Najine  replied  with  spirit; 
"  a  brave  man  deserves  success. " 

I  smiled  at  their  confidence.  The  Kremlin  was 
a  grim  place,  and  M.  de  Lambert  was  behind 
strong  bars  and  in  the  power  of  a  man  whose 
resolution  was  iron,  and  whose  natural  generosity 
was  frequently  obscured  by  those  bursts  of  pas- 
sion which  swept  all  before  them.  However,  it 
would  have  been  not  only  useless  but  ill  advised 
to  intrude  my  doubts  upon  Najine' s  sanguine 
mood,  and  I  remained  silent.  Indeed,  I  had  ample 
food  for  reflection,  for  I  found  the  situation  be- 
coming hourly  more  complicated.  I  had  believed 
that  she  was  safe  with  her  aunt  and  that  I  was 
free  of  that  responsibility,  but  she  had  returned 
upon  my  hands,  in  time,  it  was  true,  to  aid  me, 
but  also  at  the  moment  when  her  presence  under 
my  roof  would  be  the  keenest  embarrassment. 
Yet  where  to  send  her  I  knew  not,  and  she  ap- 
peared to  be  unconscious  of  the  difficulty  that  her 
arrival  created.  I  slept  but  little,  and  rose  with 
the  first  peep  of  dawn,  determined  to  accomplish 
something  on  that  day,  if  it  was  within  human 


NAJINE.  273 

possibility.  In  spite  of  her  fatiguing  journey, 
mademoiselle  was  up  nearly  as  early,  and  she  and 
her  woman  were  ready  to  attend  me  at  the  ap- 
pointed hour.  Taking  both  Pierrot  and  Touchet, 
we  proceeded  at  once.  The  spot  appointed  for 
the  meeting  was  a  narrow  lane  behind  the  palace 
of  Mentchikof,  flanked  on  one  side  by  the  blank 
wall  of  the  kitchen  wing,  and  on  the  other  by  the 
low  wall  of  a  courtyard  belonging  to  a  deserted 
building.  This  court  opened  upon  the  lane  by  a 
postern,  which  was  never  closed  because  of  the 
rusted  and  broken  hinges;  and  it  was  behind  this 
door  that  I  intended  to  conceal  my  party,  while 
mademoiselle  and  her  woman  were  to  come  ap- 
parently from  the  side  entrance  of  Mentchikof 's 
house,  thus  disarming  the  suspicion  of  her  cousin, 
who  would  probably  enter  the  lane  from  the  north. 
The  signal  appointed  for  his  approach,  two  low 
whistles,  was  to  summon  Najine  from  her  hiding- 
place  behind  the  buttress  of  Mentchikof's  palace, 
while  I  could  approach  unseen  when  Apraxin 
became  engaged  in  conversation  with  her.  It 
was  a  trap,  and  it  was  a  question  whether  he 
would  be  fool  enough  to  enter  it  or  not.  Ma- 
demoiselle, who  knew  him  well,  was  confident  of 
success,  but  I  was  less  sanguine.  On  reaching 
our  destination,  we  were  met  by  the  Swede  with 
the  report  that  his  part  of  the  compact  had  been 
successfully  executed,  and  nothing  remained  but 
to  take  our  places  and  wait  for  the  development 

18 


2/4  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

of  the  plot.  It  had  been  arranged  that  Najine 
should  engage  him  in  conversation  and  draw  from 
him,  if  possible,  a  confession  of  his  part  in  the 
arrest  of  M.  de  Lambert. 

It  was  a  raw  morning,  and  the  sky  was  dark 
with  heavy  clouds ;  now  and  then  a  few  flakes  of 
snow  fell,  and  then  a  keen  gust  of  wind  blew  them 
away.  We  stood  shivering  under  our  heavy  cloaks 
in  our  place  of  concealment.  I  was  nearest  the 
postern,  and  from  my  position  commanded  the 
spot  where  mademoiselle  and  Neonila  waited.  It 
seemed  a  long  time  before  there  was  any  indica- 
tion of  the  approach  of  our  victim,  and  I  began  to 
think  that  he  had  been  keen  enough  to  suspect  a 
trap  and  to  avoid  it.  But  at  last  there  was  a  low 
whistle,  followed  by  another,  and  Pierrot,  climb- 
ing up,  looked  over  the  wall ;  by  getting  his  eyes 
above  the  level  of  the  top  he  could  see  the  north 
end  of  the  lane,  from  which,  as  we  had  expected, 
the  signal  came. 

"Is  it  he? "  I  asked  in  an  undertone. 

Pierrot  made  a  sign  in  the  affirmative. 

"Alone?"  I  inquired  again. 

Pierrot  dropped  from  his  place  and  came  to  me 
softly. 

"He  has  but  one  attendant,"  he  whispered; 
"and  they  advance  with  caution." 

I  made  a  sign  to  him  to  be  still,  and  we  stood 
watching  and  listening.  Mademoiselle  at  the 
first  whistle  had  come  from  her  shelter,  and 


NAJINE.  275 

walked  along  the  lane,  followed  by  her  woman, 
until  she  reached  the  postern;  there  she  halted, 
so  that  we  could  both  see  them  and  hear  the  con- 
versation which  ensued.  Seeing  only  the  two 
women,  Apraxin  was  relieved  of  his  anxiety,  and 
advanced  boldly  to  meet  her,  leaving  his  man  a 
little  in  the  rear.  At  his  approach,  Najine 
slightly  raised  her  veil,  meeting  him  with  some 
embarrassment,  which  was  really  due  to  her  hatred 
of  the  part  that  she  was  compelled  to  play. 

"  I  thank  you  for  coming  so  promptly,"  she  said 
quietly.  "  I  scarcely  hoped  that  you  would  receive 
my  missive." 

"  You  have  given  us  much  anxiety  and  trouble, 
Najine,"  he  exclaimed  sharply,  with  a  note  of 
authority  in  his  tone;  "how  is  it  that  you  fly  to 
the  house  of  that  Frenchman  Brousson,  and  reap- 
pear at  that  of  Mentchikof  ?  It  is  time  that  you 
rendered  an  account  of  your  conduct." 

Mademoiselle  gave  him  a  haughty  glance.  "I 
did  not  come  here  to  account  to  you,  Yury  Ivano- 
vitch, "  she  replied  coldly,  "nor  do  I  think  you 
have  any  right  to  reproach  me;  that  belongs  to 
my  uncle." 

"Come,  come,  Najine,"  he  said  easily,  "do  not 
pick  a  quarrel  with  me.  I  have  come  to  take  you 
to  your  uncle,  and  I  doubt  not  that  he  will  be  so 
overjoyed  at  your  return  that  he  will  require  no 
account  from  you;  therefore  let  us  lose  no 
time." 


2/6  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

He  made  a  movement  to  take  her  hand  to  lead 
her  away,  but  she  repelled  him  with  a  petulant 
gesture. 

"Nay,"  she  said  steadily;  "I  will  not  give  you 
my  hand  until  you  can  prove  worthy  to  touch  it. 
I  have  heard  evil  things  of  you,  Yury  Apraxin. 
A  man  who  would  stab  another  unawares  is  a 
coward  and  an  assassin." 

He  started  at  her  words,  and  his  face  flushed 
darkly. 

"  On  my  word ! "  he  exclaimed  passionately, 
"you  have  a  shrew's  tongue  in  your  head,  fair 
relative;  if  you  were  a  man,  I  would  resent  it." 

Najine  laughed  bitterly.  "Doubtless,"  she 
said  dryly,  "since  I  am  the  weaker  of  the  two. 
A  fair  fight  I  could  forgive,  but  I  am  sorry  that  a 
friend  of  mine  can  plan  assassination  and  betray 
an  innocent  man  into  the  hands  of  his  enemies!" 

Apraxin  looked  at  her  with  a  sneer  on  his  face. 

"I  marvel  at  your  boldness,"  he  said  mock- 
ingly, "  I  would  expect  a  modest  maiden  to  hold 
her  peace  instead  of  quarrelling  for  the  love  of  a 
Frenchman  who  doubtless  has  a  sweetheart  at 
home.  For  shame,  Najine!  you  are  a  disgrace  to 
your  family,  running  about  Moscow  in  search  of 
this  malapert  coxcomb  of  a  foreigner.  It  is  well 
for  you  that  he  is  safely  out  of  your  way,"  he 
added  with  his  unpleasant  laugh. 

Mademoiselle  had  flushed  and  paled  during  his 
speech,  and  I  saw  that  she  was  quivering  with 


NAJINE.  277 

anger  and  excitement,  but  she  did  not  forget  her 
role. 

"You  have  murdered  him,"  she  cried  with 
affected  despair.  "I  will  denounce  you  to  the 
czar. " 

Apraxin  laughed  outright.  "Have  a  care, 
Najine,"  he  said.  "  I  have  not  murdered  him,  but 
the  czar  will." 

"What  do  you  mean?"  she  cried  with  an  agi- 
tation more  real  than  affected.  "The  czar  has 
given  him  his  passports;  it  is  you  who  have 
detained  him." 

"Not  so,  mademoiselle,"  Apraxin  replied, 
mocking  her.  "  I  helped  him  into  the  hands  of 
the  czar's  officers;  that  is  all." 

"You  mock  me,"  she  said  bitterly;  "he  would 
not  follow  you." 

Apraxin  laughed  again ;  he  was  enjoying  his 
triumph  to  the  full. 

"Nay,"  he  replied  gayly,  "he  did  not  follow 
me,  fair  damsel,  but  I  sent  a  lad  to  him  with  a 
message  telling  him  that  he  must  come  to  the 
refectory  of  the  Miracle  Monastery  for  certain  tid- 
ings on  which  depended  your  safety.  There  I  led 
the  imperial  officers,  for  the  captain  of  the  watch 
had  told  me  that  his  instructions  were  to  take  M. 
de  Lambert,  if  he  came  within  the  Kremlin,  and 
to  imprison  him  to  await  his  Majesty's  pleasure; 
so  what  more  had  I  to  do  ?  It  was  easy ;  and  mon- 
sieur, like  the  fool  he  is,  fell  into  the  snare." 


278  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

"You  are  a  traitor!"  mademoiselle  cried  pas- 
sionately, "and  deserve  a  traitor's  recompense." 

It  was  the  signal.  M.  Apraxin's  back  was 
toward  me,  and  he  was  practically  alone  with 
Najine,  for  both  her  woman  and  his  attendant 
had  withdrawn  to  quite  a  distance.  I  walked  out 
and  laid  a  heavy  hand  upon  his  shoulder,  while 
with  the  other  I  drew  the  pistol  from  his  belt. 
Taken  unawares,  he  started  back  and  tried  to 
throw  me  off,  but  in  a  moment  the  Swede  had 
him  upon  the  other  side,  and  we  disarmed  him. 
Pierrot  ran  after  his  man;  but  the  fellow,  a  miser- 
able caitiff,  had  taken  flight  at  the  first  alarm, 
and  showed  so  clean  a  pair  of  heels  that  Pierrot 
was  forced  to  give  up  the  chase  and  returned  very 
short  of  breath,  for  he  was  no  longer  young  or 
fleet  of  foot.  After  the  first  violent  struggle 
Apraxin  yielded  with  sullen  acquiescence,  and 
walked  between  us  down  the  lane.  The  scuffle 
had  been  brief  and  almost  noiseless,  so  that  no 
one  saw  us  as  we  left  the  spot.  Mademoiselle 
and  her  woman  stood  aside  for  us  to  pass,  intend- 
ing to  follow  with  my  two  equerries.  Our  pris- 
oner cast  a  glance  of  hatred  at  her  as  he  walked 
past. 

"Traitress!"  he  cried  between  his  teeth,  "this 
is  your  revenge ! " 

Poor  Najine!  her  cheek  flushed  scarlet,  for  she 
despised  her  task. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

AN  INTERVAL  OF  SUSPENSE. 

As  soon  as  Apraxin  was  secured,  I  went  to  the 
palace  of  Mentchikof,  knowing  that  I  had  no  time 
to  lose;  my  captive's  attendant  would  bear  the 
tidings  of  his  seizure  to  his  uncle,  and  there  would 
be  some  decisive  action  at  once,  on  one  side  or 
the  other.  The  czar's  feeling  toward  Apraxin 
might  tie  Zotof  s  hands  for  the  moment,  but  it  was 
probable  that  the  servant  had  recognized  made- 
moiselle and  would  report  her  presence  to  her 
uncle.  I  reached  Mentchikof  s  house  at  an  hour 
when  he  was  not  receiving  visitors,  but  after  a  little 
parley  with  the  porter,  was  admitted  and  only 
waited  a  few  minutes  in  the  ante-room  before  being 
summoned  to  the  favorite's  presence.  He  had 
just  risen,  and  he  received  me  in  his  own  apartment, 
which  was  as  luxurious  as  the  bed-chamber  of  an 
emperor.  He  had  heard  enough  of  my  conversa- 
tion with  the  czar  on  the  previous  evening  to  be 
aware  of  my  troubles,  and  was  therefore  prepared 
to  listen  to  my  complaint.  I  told  him  briefly  of 
the  course  of  events  and  of  the  successful  capture 
of  Apraxin.  I  was  tolerably  frank  with  him, 


28O  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

knowing  that  I  needed  both  his  good-will  and  his 
assistance,  for  he  was  the  only  one  on  whom  I 
could  rely  for  any  material  aid.  I  concealed  only 
the  presence  of  Najine,  for  I  was  anxious  to  leave 
her  out  of  the  affair  and,  if  possible,  to  hide  the 
fact  that  she  was  at  my  lodgings.  Mentchikof 
listened  to  me  with  keen  attention,  and  I  saw,  at 
once,  that  he  was  striving  to  see  some  way  out  of 
the  labyrinth.  Mademoiselle's  headstrong  conduct 
and  her  open  aversion  to  the  czar's  suit  were  both 
points  in  our  favor,  for  Peter  was  one  to  resent 
keenly  the  ridicule  that  they  naturally  threw  upon 
his  course. 

"  It  is  a  delicate  matter,  M.  le  Marechal," 
Mentchikof  remarked  thoughtfully.  "  The  czar  has 
undoubtedly  imprisoned  M.  de  Lambert.  He  prob- 
ably ordered  his  arrest  in  one  of  those  moments  of 
ungovernable  passion  when  he  takes  little  account 
of  what  he  does,  but,  having  taken  this  rash  action, 
it  is  difficult  for  him  to  recede  from  it." 

"That  is  true,  monsieur,"  I  replied  gravely; 
"  but  such  action  involves  an  offence  to  France, 
and  that  is  a  point  that  his  Majesty  will  do  well  to 
consider." 

Mentchikof,  who  was,  before  all  else,  a  Russian, 
resented  my  tone  at  once. 

"  You  know  very  well,  M.  de  Brousson,"  he 
said  haughtily,  "that  the  czar  my  master  is  too 
proud  and  passionate  a  man  to  count  the  costs, 
even  if  Russia  had  cause  to  fear." 


AN  INTERVAL   OF  SUSPENSE.  281 

I  did  not  desire  to  offend  him,  and  let  his  reply 
pass  unnoticed. 

"  His  Majesty  should  however  consider  the 
injustice,  M.  Mentchikof,"  I  said  courteously.  "  M. 
de  Lambert  is  an  innocent  man,  and  as  a  foreigner 
has  a  claim  upon  your  forbearance." 

"  I  recognize  the  justice  of  what  you  say,  M. 
1'Ambassadeur,"  he  replied  calmly;  "but  the  czar 
is  human,  and  M.  de  Lambert  has  offended  him. 
Perhaps,  you  or  I  in  like  case  would  be  even  less 
merciful." 

I  smiled.  "That  may  be,  monsieur,"  I  said, 
"but  you  or  I  would  seek  redress  with  our  swords. 
Prison  walls  are  safe,  but  it  seems  a  poor  revenge." 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  A  safe  one,  M.  de 
Brousson,"  he  replied  coolly ;  "  a  sword-thrust  and 
six  feet  of  earth  are  cold  satisfaction  for  a  man  in 
love." 

"  That  is  true,"  I  said,  smiling;  "  but  prison  walls 
are  equally  hard  for  M.  de  Lambert,  therefore  I 
crave  your  assistance  to  liberate  him.  I  had 
thought  of  taking  Apraxin  to  the  czar  and  demand- 
ing my  friend's  release  from  the  custody  into  which 
Apraxin  has  betrayed  him." 

"Taking  the  ground  that  his  Majesty  is  ignorant 
of  the  conduct  of  his  guards?"  Mentchikof  asked. 
"  I  see,  monsieur.  That  is  the  only  possible  way 
of  touching  the  matter.  I  have  no  doubt  that  the 
czar  is  ignorant  of  Apraxin's  share  in  it,  but  we 
cannot  tell  what  effect  it  would  have  upon  him. 


282  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

The  czar  despises  Apraxin,  but  he  may,  for  the 
time,  pass  that  over.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
introduction  of  the  fellow's  name  may  bring  forth 
a  burst  of  passion  that  might  end  in  the  reverse  of 
your  wishes.  And  again,  Apraxin  may  eventually 
injure  the  cause  of  Zotof  and  of —  his  niece." 

"  I  have  foreseen  all  that,  monsieur,"  I  replied 
gravely,  "  yet  it  seems  the  only  hope.  It  is  more 
probable  that  the  czar  will  be  seized  with  disgust 
of  the  whole  affair  when  he  finds  that  Apraxin 
regards  Najine  as  his  betrothed,  and  betrayed  M.  de 
Lambert  to  get  rid  of  a  successful  rival." 

Mentchikof  rose,  and  walked  up  and  down  the 
room  for  a  few  moments,  thinking  deeply.  The 
matter  was  close  to  his  heart:  it  involved  his  own 
hold  upon  the  affections  of  his  master ;  it  threatened 
the  destruction  of  some  of  his  dearest  hopes  and 
schemes.  I  watched  him  keenly,  wondering  a  lit- 
tle what  thoughts  were  in  his  mind,  —  if  he  was 
picturing  his  own  success  or  his  defeat;  if  he  saw 
before  him  the  triumph  of  his  rivals,  the  obscurity 
of  Catherine  Shavronsky,  and  his  own  ruin,  for  the 
loss  of  favor  would  mean  the  total  collapse  of  his 
fortunes.  He  was  an  extravagant  man,  and  his 
debts  were  colossal,  while  his  credit  was  tottering 
at  the  caprice  of  the  czar's  favor.  His  hold  upon 
Peter's  affections  was  strong,  his  influence  had  been 
almost  unbounded ;  but  the  favorite  of  royalty 
keeps  his  place  by  but  feeble  tenure,  and  if  the 
czar  followed  the  impulse  of  his  passion  for  made- 


AN  INTERVAL    OF  SUSPENSE.  283 

moiselle,  a  new  party  would  inevitably  come  into 
power,  and  Mentchikof  s  arrogance  would  be  re- 
membered and  revenged.  I  regarded  him  with 
interest.  A  man  richly  endowed  in  person  and  in 
mental  qualities ;  handsome,  brave,  magnetic ;  pos- 
sessed of  a  winning  address  and  a  pungent  wit, 
and  withal,  a  gallant  soldier  and  a  shrewd  states- 
man, —  he  was  a  man  to  captivate  and  hold  the 
fancy  of  almost  any  one  who  approached  him,  and  I 
did  not  condemn  Daria  Arsenief  for  her  infatuation ; 
all  the  court  knew  that  she  was  devoted  to  Alex- 
ander Mentchikof,  and  I  had  heard  it  said  that 
Peter  desired  that  he  should  marry  her,  while  he 
was  yet  either  unwilling  or  not  ready  to  comply 
with  his  master's  wishes.  He  paced  the  room  now 
for  five  minutes  or  more,  and  I  did  not  interrupt 
his  revery,  willing  to  allow  him  full  time  to  mature 
his  own  plans  ;  but  before  he  spoke  again,  a  little 
page  brought  him  a  message  from  Mademoiselle 
Shavronsky,  asking  if  she  might  join  us,  as  she 
desired  to  see  the  Vicomte  de  Brousson.  For  an 
instant  Mentchikof  looked  annoyed,  and  then,  re- 
covering himself,  sent  for  her  to  appear.  When 
the  page  retired  with  his  message,  he  looked  at  me 
and  smiled. 

"  Catherine  must  needs  manage  this  herself,"  he 
said  dryly;  "womanlike,  she  believes  that  she  can 
always  find  the  end  of  the  tangled  skein." 

"A  woman's  wit  is  keen,"  I  replied,  "  and  it  may 
be  that  she  will  see  a  way  that  we  cannot  discover." 


284  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

"It  maybe,"  he  rejoined  with  a  shrug;  "but 
she  has  already  done  mischief  enough  to  her  own 
affairs,  and  yet  she  is  a  clever  woman  —  a  woman 
worthy  to  rule,"  he  added  to  himself. 

As  he  spoke,  the  door  opened  and  Catherine 
Shavronsky  came  in,  attended  only  by  a  little 
Russian  girl.  Catherine's  face  was  pale,  but  more 
composed  than  when  I  had  last  seen  her,  and  she 
responded  to  my  greeting  graciously.  She  was 
attired  in  some  plain  dark  robe,  and  her  figure 
looked  less  massive  than  usual,  and  there  was 
something  almost  girlish  in  the  simple  earnestness 
of  her  manner. 

"  You  have  tidings,  M.  le  Marechal,"  she  said 
directly ;  "  I  trust  that  they  are  better  than  the 
last.  Is  M.  de  Lambert  at  liberty?  " 

I  shook  my  head. 

"  What?  "  she  exclaimed,  "  in  prison  still?  Has 
no  one  appealed  to  the  czar?  " 

Mentchikof  cut  short  her  inquiries  by  informing 
her  briefly  of  my  errand  and  my  failures  and  suc- 
cesses. She  listened  with  impatience,  evidently 
regarding  us  both  as  laggards,  and  she  was  restless 
to  achieve  some  better  fortune.  When  he  had 
finished  speaking,  she  turned  upon  me  suddenly 
with  a  searching  look. 

"  Where  is  Najine  Zotof?  "  she  asked  sharply. 

For  the  moment  I  was  taken  by  surprise  and 
returned  her  look  blankly.  I  had  no  desire  to 
communicate  to  her  mademoiselle's  hiding-place. 


AN  INTERVAL   OF  SUSPENSE.  285 

She  read  me  through  and  through  with  those 
keen  dark  eyes  of  hers,  and  her  full  lips  curled 
with  a  contemptuous  smile. 

"  Do  not  try  to  deceive  me,  M.  1'Ambassadeur," 
she  said  dryly;  "  the  fine-spun  excuses  of  the  court 
will  not  pass  with  me.  You  know  where  made- 
moiselle is;  why  does  she  not  come  forward  and 
plead  for  her  lover  herself?  If  I  were  M.  de 
Lambert,  I  would  not  value  such  faint-hearted 
loyalty." 

"  You  take  a  strong  view,  mademoiselle,"  I  re- 
plied gravely;  "it  is  a  difficult  point  to  decide 
whether  or  not  Mademoiselle  Zotof's  presence 
would  injure  her  cause." 

"  Try  it,"  she  exclaimed  warmly.  "  I  know  the 
czar.  She  can  do  more  than  fifty  diplomats  for 
her  lover.  I  tell  you  frankly,  M.  le  Vicomte,  that 
if  I  were  in  mademoiselle's  place  I  would  appeal 
to  his  Majesty  at  once.  I  would  not  lose  a 
moment.  I  would  trust  to  his  generosity  —  his 
natural  kindness.  His  Majesty  is  always  ap- 
proachable, and  to  no  one  does  simple  devotion 
appeal  more  strongly.  He  is  the  czar,  but  he  is 
also  human." 

Mentchikof  had  listened  in  silence,  observing  her 
animated  features,  impressed  no  doubt,  as  much  as 
I  was,  by  the  impetuosity  of  her  manner.  When 
she  ceased  speaking,  he  turned  to  me  gravely. 

"  Catherine  is  right,"  he  said ;  "  the  czar  is  more 
likely  to  show  mercy  to  Mademoiselle  Zotof  than 


286  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

to  M.  de  Lambert  —  and  you  could  not  make  such 
an  appeal.  Najine  can  do  so,  and  it  may  help  in 
a  hundred  ways ;  "  and  he  looked  at  me  with  a 
meaning  smile. 

And  I,  remembering  his  threat  of  a  few  weeks 
ago,  stood  irresolute.  Could  I  trust  these  two,  or 
was  it  a  scheme  to  injure  mademoiselle?  They 
certainly  would  not  plan  to  place  her  in  the  czar's 
way  if  they  believed  that  it  would  encourage  his 
passion  for  her;  but  what  did  they  intend?  I 
looked  at  the  two  faces,  and  for  the  time  felt  thor- 
oughly at  sea.  Their  motives  were  apparently 
innocent,  but  how  far  could  I  trust  Mentchikof? 
How  far  Catherine?  Ah,  that  was  the  question! 
Unable  to  decide  at  the  moment,  I  temporized. 

"  And  how  could  she  make  this  appeal?  "  I  in- 
quired calmly,  glancing  from  one  to  the  other. 

"  She  can  go  direct  to  the  palace  and  make  the 
petition  when  the  czar  gives  audience  to  all  com- 
plainants," Mentchikof  replied.  "  It  would  be  ill- 
advised  for  her  to  make  it  in  private;  his  Majesty 
might  easily  put  such  an  appeal  aside,  but  a  pub- 
lic one  would  attract  attention  and  —  in  a  word, 
you  understand,  M.  1'Ambassadeur,  he  has  no  real 
reason  to  keep  a  member  of  your  suite  in  prison." 

"To  be  frank,  M.  Mentchikof,"  I  said,  "your 
plan  strikes  me  as  feasible ;  but,  after  all,  it  is  like 
playing  at  dice,  and  it  is  a  throw  in  the  dark." 

Catherine  had  been  silent  for  a  little  time,  but 
now  interrupted  us  again. 


AN  INTERVAL   OF  SUSPEATSE.  287 

"  I  have  a  scheme,  Alexander,"  she  said  with 
excitement ;  "  let  her  come  here  to-night !  " 

"  True  !  "  he  exclaimed,  "  that  would  be  best. 
The  czar  comes  here  to-night,"  he  added  to  me, 
"  for  the  first  time  fqr  weeks.  Let  mademoiselle 
make  her  petition  to  him ;  she  will  have  the  better 
opportunity,  for  Zotof  will  not  come." 

I  saw  the  advantages  of  the  opportunity,  but 
I  saw  also  some  perils,  and  was  not  eager  to 
acquiesce.  Mentchikof  read  my  hesitation  and 
smiled. 

"  M.  1'Ambassadeur,"  he  said  graciously,  "  I 
pledge  you  my  word,  as  a  soldier  and  a  gentle- 
man, that  Mademoiselle  Zotof  shall  be  safe  in  my 
house.  Not  even  his  Majesty  shall  violate  my 
hospitality." 

I  bowed  gravely.  "  I  thank  you,  monsieur,"  I 
replied  with  dignity,  "  for  the  assurance.  I  will 
communicate  with  mademoiselle:  I  am,  not  un- 
naturally, reluctant  to  assume  the  responsibility. 
The  young  lady  is  the  niece  of  Zotof,  and  I  have 
no  right  to  interfere  with  her  actions;  but  my 
anxiety  for  M.  de  Lambert  is  so  keen  that  I 
shall  not  lose  the  opportunity  to  appeal  to  her 
for  assistance." 

"You  will  do  well,  M.  1'Ambassadeur,"  he  re- 
plied, with  a  reflection  of  my  dignified  courtesy, 
"  and  I  trust  that  she  will  find  the  czar's  humor 
propitious." 

"  I  trust  so,"    I  replied  quietly,    "  for  I  should 


288  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

regret  extremely  being  forced  to  call  upon  my 
government  to  take  cognizance  of  this  matter, 
—  an  action  which  will  be  inevitable  if  I  cannot 
obtain  M.  de  Lambert's  release  in  a  short  time." 

Mentchikof s  cheek  flushed ;  he  resented  in- 
stantly the  covert  thrust,  but  restrained  his  temper. 

"  We  will  hope  for  a  happy  issue,  M.  de  Brous- 
son,"  he  replied  haughtily,  "  and  I  doubt  not  that 
we  shall  succeed,  if  Mademoiselle  Zotof  is  sincere 
in  her  desire  to  release  her  lover." 

"  Do  not  doubt  her  sincerity,  monsieur,"  I  re- 
turned calmly,  "  and  I  will  do  my  best  to  achieve 
a  happy  result,  and  will  communicate  with  ma- 
demoiselle as  soon  as  possible ;  "  and  with  a  few 
more  formal  words,  I  withdrew. 

Leaving  the  apartment,  I  walked  slowly  down 
the  long  salon  beyond,  and  had  my  hand  on  the 
door  at  the  farther  end,  when  I  heard  the  rustle 
of  a  woman's  skirt  behind  me,  and  turned  to  find 
Catherine  Shavronsky  at  my  elbow.  She  had 
never  looked  more  charming;  her  face,  though 
pale,  was  animated,  and  a  roguish  smile  curved 
her  beautiful  lips  and  kindled  the  fire  in  her  large 
dark  eyes.  She  stopped  a  little  way  from  me, 
and  held  up  her  finger  with  a  gesture  of  rrrock 
rebuke. 

"  Alas,  M.  1'Ambassadeur !  "  she  said  archly, 
"  how  will  you  be  able  to  find  mademoiselle?  The 
czar  cannot  find  her,  Madame  Zotof  cannot  find 
her,  and  you  —  you  do  not  know  where  she  is. 


AN  INTERVAL  OF  SUSPENSE.  289 

How  can  your  message  reach  her?  Ah,  M.  le 
Vicomte  —  M.  le  Vicomte !  " 

She  stood  there  laughing,  and  shaking  her 
ringer  at  me.  I  made  her  a  profound  bow. 

"  Mademoiselle,"  I  replied,  smiling,  "  you  forget 
for  whom  she  will  be  summoned.  Love  will  find 
out  the  way !  " 

And  with  that  I  went  out  at  the  door ;  but  she 
came  and  stood  upon  the  threshold,  and  called  to 
me  as  I  went  down  the  corridor. 

"  That  cannot  be,  M.  1'Ambassadeur,"  she  cried, 
"  for  they  say  that  love  is  blind !  " 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

A  FAIR   PETITIONER. 

I  WAS  far  from  satisfied  with  the  thought  of 
bringing  mademoiselle  to  Mentchikof's  house,  but 
when  I  unfolded  the  plan  to  her  and  to  Madame 
de  Brousson,  they  overruled  my  scruples.  Najine 
was  eager  to  embrace  any  opportunity  to  aid  her 
lover,  and  my  wife  saw  the  advantages  of  the  situ- 
ation in  the  same  light  that  they  had  appeared  to 
Catherine.  So  it  was  that  between  the  women 
I  found  myself  of  small  consequence,  and  was 
forced  to  yield  to  their  wishes.  It  was  arranged 
that  I  should  first  introduce  the  testimony  of 
Apraxin,  and  that  then  Najine  Zotof  would  appear 
to  make  her  own  appeal.  Meanwhile  Apraxin 
was  a  prisoner  at  my  quarters,  and  a  sullen  scape- 
grace I  found  him.  His  indignation  against  Na- 
jine knew  no  bounds,  and  I  think  that  the  little 
love  he  had  for  her,  in  those  hours,  turned  to  re- 
sentment. As  I  had  anticipated,  his  attendant 
carried  the  tidings  of  his  capture  to  M.  Zotof,  and 
in  the  course  of  the  day  I  received  a  sharp  mes- 
sage from  him  that  my  treatment  of  his  relative 
would  be  reported  to  the  czar ;  to  which  I  replied 
that  I  should  myself  inform  his  Majesty  of  my 


A   FAIR  PETITIONER.  291 

action  and  of  the  cause  of  it,  —  a  message  which 
I  thought  carried  confusion  into  the  enemy's  lines, 
for  I  heard  no  more  that  day,  and  M.  Apraxin 
remained  biding  my  pleasure  in  my  upper  room, 
although  in  truth  I  had  no  relish  for  my  task  of 
jailer,  and  would  have  been  glad  to  find  another 
way  out  of  my  embarrassments.  The  impossi- 
bility of  reaching  M.  de  Lambert  made  me  doubly 
uneasy.  I  had  a  genuine  affection  for  the  young 
man,  and  felt  responsible  for  his  safety.  I  did  not 
go  to  the  Kremlin  that  day,  but  even  in  the  city 
the  tidings  had  spread  that  the  czar  was  to  go 
again  to  the  house  of  Mentchikof.  Straws  show 
the  way  of  the  wind,  and  it  was  easy  to  see  the 
unhappiness  of  the  sycophants  who  had  deserted 
the  favorite  in  his  temporary  obscurity.  It  is 
these  miserable  creatures  who  find  the  changing 
tide  of  court  favor  such  a  cause  for  tribulation, 
and  overturn  each  other  in  their  eagerness  to 
arrive  first  at  the  gates  of  the  fortunate.  I  was 
amused  when  I  approached  Mentchikof's  house 
in  the  evening  to  find  the  court,  that  a  few  days 
before  had  been  deserted,  full  to  overflowing  with 
these  poor  butterflies  that  had  flown  at  the  little 
cloud  of  imperial  displeasure  and  now  returned. 
They  were  not,  however,  admitted.  For  some 
reason  the  favorite  chose  to  have  but  a  few  pres- 
ent at  the  arrival  of  the  czar,  and  when  I  entered 
the  ante-rooms  I  found  but  a  small  attendance. 
Peter  and  his  suite  had  already  arrived,  and  a  few 


2Q2  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

of  the  imperial  guards  were  at  the  doors.  When  I 
reached  the  salon,  I  found  the  czar  surrounded  by 
a  larger  party  than  I  had  at  first  supposed  to  be 
present,  but  there  was  no  one  there  of  the  faction 
favorable  to  Zotof  except  the  Field-Marshal  Shere- 
metief.  Madame  Golovin,  both  the  Arsenief  sis- 
ters, their  aunt  Madame  Tolstoi,  and  Mademoiselle 
Shavronsky  were  all  at  the  farther  end  of  the 
apartment,  holding  a  little  court  of  their  own, 
while  the  czar  was  in  the  midst  of  his  immediate 
friends,  Mentchikof,  Repnin,  Sheremetief,  and  a 
dozen  more.  I  saw  at  a  glance  that  Peter  was  in 
an  excellent  humor.  When  I  entered,  he  was 
standing  with  his  hand  on  Mentchikof's  shoul- 
der, and  was  laughing  heartily  at  some  jest  that 
he  had  made  at  the  favorite's  expense.  As  I  ad- 
vanced, the  czar  saw  me,  and  there  was  a  change  — 
slight  and  almost  imperceptible,  but  still  a  change 
—  in  his  expression.  Doubtless,  I  was  unwelcome 
enough  at  the  moment,  and  it  may  be  that  his 
keen  wit  instantly  suspected  a  concealed  motive 
in  the  occasion,  for  he  could  not  have  been  igno- 
rant of  Mentchikof's  dealings  with  me  and  with 
M.  de  Lambert.  However,  he  received  me  with 
courtesy,  and  at  once  asked  a  direct  question  in 
his  usual  blunt  fashion. 

"  Well,  M.  1'Ambassadeur,"  he  said,  "  have  you 
found  M.  de  Lambert?" 

"  I  have  not,  your  Majesty,"  I  replied,  "  but  I 
have  certain  information  concerning  him." 


A   FAIR  PETITIONER.  293 

A  peculiar  expression  gleamed  in  his  eyes  for 
an  instant,  but  he  smiled. 

"  You  speak  gravely,  sir,"  he  said  lightly. 
"What  is  the  information?" 

I  was  standing  directly  before  the  czar,  in  the 
midst  of  many  spectators,  and  I  answered  him 
deliberately. 

"  I  am  glad,"  I  said  suavely,  "  of  this  oppor- 
tunity to  inform  your  Majesty  of  the  outrage  that 
has  been  perpetrated  upon  one  of  my  suite.  M. 
de  Lambert  was  seized  by  a  palace  guard,  be- 
trayed into  his  hands  by  M.  Zotof 's  relative,  M. 
Apraxin." 

There  was  a  pause,  and  I  saw  the  lightning  in 
the  czar's  glance,  and  Mentchikof  stirred  uneasily. 
The  mine  was  fired,  and  we  awaited  the  explosion. 

"  You  must  have  been  misinformed,  M.  1'Am- 
bassadeur,"  Peter  said  after  a  moment.  "  It  is 
impossible  that  one  of  my  guards  could  have 
dealt  with  that  fellow.  Produce  your  proofs." 

"  Your  Majesty,"  I  replied  quietly,  "  M.  Apraxin 
admitted  his  share  of  the  transaction  in  my  pres- 
ence this  morning,  and  he  is  at  this  time  within 
call." 

The  czar  bit  his  lip.  He  was  in  a  peculiar  posi- 
tion, and  I  think  regretted  his  folly  in  having 
meddled  with  M.  de  Lambert. 

"Be  kind  enough,  M.  le  Vicomte,"  he  said, 
"to  produce  M.  Apraxin,  whom  I  supposed  long 
since  departed  from  Moscow." 


294  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

This  was  the  order  that  I  had  hoped  for,  and  I 
despatched  Pierrot  to  bring  him,  with  a  couple  of 
Mentchikof's  followers  to  prevent  his  escape.  In 
the  interval  before  his  arrival,  the  czar  refused  to 
be  entertained,  waiting  with  impatience  for  the 
coming  scene.  That  he  was  violently  angry  at 
Apraxin's  interference,  I  did  not  doubt,  but  just 
what  he  intended  to  do  it  was  difficult  to  imagine. 
His  mood  had  changed,  and  his  face  was  deeply 
flushed.  He  walked  down  the  room  to  a  chair 
near  where  the  women  stood,  and,  seating  him- 
self, leaned  his  head  upon  his  hand  and  stared 
gloomily  down  the  length  of  the  salon,  but  with 
eyes  that  did  not  seem  to  notice  the  gay  courtiers 
who  filled  it.  The  change  in  his  mood  affected 
the  humor  of  the  assemblage,  and  there  was  a 
general  cessation  of  conversation,  and  every  eye 
was  turned  towards  his  face.  It  was,  perhaps, 
half  an  hour  before  one  of  the  ushers  announced 
that  Apraxin  was  under  guard  in  one  of  the  ad- 
joining rooms,  and  the  czar  immediately  ordered 
that  he  should  be  brought  before  him.  There 
was  a  little  ripple  of  excitement  when  Zotof's 
prote"g6  entered  and  was  marched  down  the  room 
between  two  of  Mentchikof's  men.  His  expres- 
sion was  as  sullen  as  usual,  and  he  made  but  a 
slight  obeisance  as  he  paused  opposite  the  czar. 
Peter  eyed  him  with  angry  contempt. 

"  I  find  that  instead  of  being  where  you  ought 
to  be,    in   Archangel,    Apraxin,"    the   czar   said 


A   FAIR  PETITIONER. 


295 


sharply,  "you  are  here,  and  meddling  with  one  of 
M.  de  Brousson's  party." 

He  paused  as  if  expecting  a  reply ;  but  Apraxin 
made  none,  maintaining  his  attitude  of  sullen 
silence.  The  czar  looked  at  him  fiercely. 

"  Have  you  a  tongue?  "  he  demanded. 

The  blood  rose  to  Apraxin's  hair. 

"You  are  the  Czar  of  Russia,"  he  said  passion- 
ately, "  but  I  am  not  your  slave,  but  a  freeman ! 
By  what  right  am  I  arrested  by  the  Vicomte  de 
Brousson,  and  dragged  from  place  to  place  with- 
out any  formal  charge  ?  " 

"You  were  brought  here  by  my  order,"  the  czar 
replied  sternly,  "  and  you  will  do  well  to  answer 
the  questions  that  I  put  to  you  with  civility,  or 
we  will  presently  find  the  means  to  give  you  a 
lesson." 

The  czar  meant  the  secret-chancery  of  Preobra- 
zhensky,  and  Apraxin  knew  it,  for  I  saw  the  color 
recede  from  his  cheek  and  the  look  of  a  hunted 
animal  show  in  his  eyes. 

"Briefly,  Apraxin,"  Peter  continued,  "by  whose 
order  did  you  betray  M.  de  Lambert  into  the 
hands  of  the  imperial  guard  ? " 

For  a  moment  Apraxin  was  silent,  and  then  he 
spoke  with  more  manhood  than  I  had  anticipated. 

"Your  Majesty,"  he  said,  "I  am  a  nephew  by 
adoption  of  Madame  Zotof,  and  was  affianced  in 
boyhood  to  her  husband's  niece,  Najine  Zotof. 
She  has  lately  departed  from  the  house  of  her 


296  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

uncle,  and  fled  to  that  of  the  Vicomte  de  Brous- 
son,  the  secret  envoy  of  France ;  encouraged  in  her 
disobedience,  and  aided  by  her  lover,  M.  de  Lam- 
bert. For  that  reason,  and  for  no  other,  I  did 
endeavor  to  seize  him,  and  succeeded  in  deliver- 
ing him  into  the  hands  of  an  officer  of  the  guard 
charged  by  your  Majesty  to  arrest  him." 

The  mine  had  exploded,  and  the  czar  flushed 
crimson,  while  his  eyes  flashed.  He  had  evi- 
dently trusted  to  the  discretion  of  his  officer  and 
had  been  betrayed.  I  stood  discreetly  silent,  but 
I  caught  the  eye  of  Mademoiselle  Catherine  and 
saw  that  she  was  keenly  anxious. 

"Upon  my  faith,"  exclaimed  the  czar,  with  pas- 
sion, "  it  is  like  your  impertinence  to  charge  me 
with  being  your  accomplice.  Officer,  remove  the 
prisoner." 

As  Apraxin  was  led  out,  Peter  turned  upon  me 
sharply. 

"So,  M.  I'Ambassadeur,"  he  said,  "mademoi- 
selle is  at  your  house  ? " 

"I  do  not  now  deny  the  charge,  your  Majesty," 
I  said  quietly. 

His  lip  curled  scornfully.  "You  would  have 
me  believe  that  she  was  not  there  before  ? "  he 
exclaimed. 

I  returned  his  gaze  quietly.  "  It  is  difficult  to 
know  what  to  believe  about  the  matter,  your 
Majesty,"  I  replied  dryly. 

As  I  spoke,  there  was  some  confusion  at  the 


A   FAIR  PETITIONER.  297 

further  end  of  the  room,  and  the  czar  glancing  in 
that  direction,  his  reply  to  me  was  stayed  upon 
his  lip.  I  turned  with  an  intuition  of  the  cause, 
and  saw  the  crowd  part,  leaving  a  wide  aisle  down 
the  center  of  the  long  salon,  and  through  this 
walked  Madame  de  Brousson  and  Mademoiselle 
Zotof.  My  wife,  who  was  yet  a  beautiful  woman, 
moved  along  with  easy  dignity,  her  fine  figure  and 
rich  dark  robes  making  her  a  sharp  contrast  to 
Najine,  so  slender  in  her  pure  white  garment, 
untrimmed  save  for  the  sable  that  edged  it  as  it 
fell  about  her  feet,  and  the  sable  about  her  shoul- 
ders making  her  white  neck  look  yet  more  white. 
Her  face  was  pale,  but  her  eyes  darkly  blue  and 
fearless  in  expression.  Her  whole  appearance 
and  manner  were  extremely  maidenly,  and  yet 
she  advanced  without  embarrassment.  As  she 
approached,  Peter  rose,  and  the  nobles  about  him 
drew  back  a  little,  so  that  he  stood  quite  alone 
and  faced  mademoiselle,  a  strange  expression  on 
his  face.  That  he  was  astonished  was  manifest 
enough,  but  he  was  also  strongly  moved  and 
looked  at  her  without  a  word.  Zena'fde  paused 
beside  me,  and  whispered  that  they  had  just  re- 
ceived evil  tidings,  that  M.  de  Lambert's  life  had 
been  attempted,  and  that  he  was  in  great  peril. 
Troubled  as  I  was  at  the  information,  I  almost 
forgot  it  in  my  eagerness  to  watch  mademoiselle 
and  the  czar.  She  addressed  him  in  the  quaint 
Russian  fashion. 


298  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

"I  come  to  you,  little  father,  as  a  suppliant," 
she  said  in  a  low  voice,  but  in  the  silence  it  was 
audible  to  all;  "I  have  a  suit  which  is  too  press- 
ing to  brook  delay,  and  I  crave  indulgence. " 

"I  am  fortunate  to  see  you,  Najine,"  the  czar 
replied  slowly.  "  Of  late,  not  even  your  uncle 
could  find  you." 

Her  pale  cheeks  flushed,  but  she  looked  up 
bravely.  "Your  Majesty  must  pardon  my  faults," 
she  said  earnestly;  "so  sure  am  I  of  your  good- 
ness —  of  your  kingly  generosity,  that  I  have  come 
to  ask  a  favor  at  your  Majesty's  hands." 

Whether  he  suspected  her  motive  or  not,  I  could 
not  tell,  but  he  looked  at  her  keenly. 

"  What  is  this  favor  ?  "  he  asked  gravely ;  "  have  I 
been  a  hard  master  to  you  that  you  fear  to  ask  it  ?  " 

"No,  sire,"  she  said  gently,  her  eyes  fixed 
earnestly  upon  his  face;  "but  when  a  boon  is 
near  the  heart,  it  is  difficult  to  ask.  I  beg  a  man's 
liberty  —  his  life,  for  they  tell  me  it  is  in  danger." 

"A  man's  life  and  liberty?"  the  czar  repeated 
sternly;  "you  choose  a  strange  time,  Najine 
Alexeievna;  and  is  there  no  one  else  who  can 
plead  for  it  to  me? " 

The  color  swept  up  to  her  hair,  and  she  suddenly 
kneeled  at  his  feet. 

"No  one  can  plead  as  I  can,  little  father,"  she 
said  almost  inaudibly,  "because  to  no  one  else 
is  his  life  so  dear." 

"  Ah ! "  the  czar  ejaculated  sharply,  his  brows 


A   FAIR  PETITIONER.  299 

bending  in  a  dark  frown  and  his  lips  twitching; 
"  and  who  is  this  prisoner,  madam  ?  " 

"Guillaume  de  Lambert,  an  officer  of  the  house- 
hold troops  of  the  King  of  France,"  she  replied 
in  a  clear  voice. 

"There  is  the  Ambassador  of  France,"  said  the 
czar  coldly,  pointing  at  me;  "why  not  let  him 
prefer  this  suit? " 

She  was  still  kneeling,  and  looked  up  at  him 
with  an  earnest  appeal  in  her  blue  eyes. 

"Turn  not  a  deaf  ear,  your  Majesty,"  she  ex- 
claimed with  feeling.  "  M.  de  Lambert  is  an  in- 
nocent man,  and  it  is  your  duty  to  do  justice  to 
the  innocent,  for  are  you  not  an  anointed  king? 
Judgment  and  mercy  belong  to  you,  little  father, 
and  it  is  to  your  honor  to  show  justice  to  the 
foreigner.  He  has  been  betrayed  into  prison  ;  they 
tell  me  that  his  life  has  been  attempted.  Show 
mercy,  sire,  and  set  him  free." 

The  czar  looked  at  her  keenly,  strong  emotions 
contending  in  his  passionate  face. 

"You  plead  with  eloquence,  Najine,"  he  said, 
still  coldly.  "Of  what  interest  is  this  young 
man's  fate  to  you?  Answer  me  freely,  if  you 
hope  for  mercy  for  him ! " 

Najine  looked  up  into  Peter's  dark  face,  and  her 
lips  quivered. 

"Your  Majesty,"  she  replied  in  a  low  voice,  but 
every  ear  was  strained  to  catch  her  words,  "  I  ask 
his  liberty  —  because  I  love  him." 


300  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

The  czar  drew  a  deep  breath,  and  the  tic  con- 
vulsed his  features. 

"You  speak  boldly,  girl,"  he  said  sternly. 
"  Are  you  not  ashamed  ?  " 

Najine  rose  and  stood  before  him,  her  face  as 
white  as  her  robe,  but  her  eyes  shone  like  two 
stars. 

"  I  am  not  ashamed,  sire,"  she  answered  proudly, 
"to  love  a  brave  and  loyal  gentleman." 

Peter  uttered  an  exclamation  under  his  breath, 
regarding  her  with  an  expression  in  which  anger 
and  admiration  were  mingled.  Never  before  had 
any  woman  faced  him  with  the  declaration  of  her 
loyalty  to  another  man,  and  it  must  have  made  a 
strong  impression  upon  him.  It  was  a  strange 
picture.  The  nobles  about  him  had  drawn  back 
until  the  two  stood  in  the  center  of  a  large  space, 
the  massive  figure  of  the  czar  overshadowing  the 
slight  form  of  mademoiselle,  but  there  was  a  sim- 
ple dignity  in  the  pose  of  her  young  figure  that 
was  striking.  Peter  was  silent  for  some  moments, 
and  then  spoke  with  bitterness. 

"By  my  faith,  Najine  Alexeievna,"  he  said,  "I 
did  not  know  that  you  were  asking  a  bridegroom 
at  my  hands ! " 

The  blood  rose  to  her  hair,  but  she  answered 
him  in  an  unfaltering  voice. 

"Oh,  little  father,"  she  said,  "I  ask  his  liberty 
—  his  life!" 

"  And  if  I  refuse,  what  then  ? "  the  czar  asked 


A   FAIR  PETITIONER.  30 1 

sternly,  his  dark  eyes  searching  her  face  and  his 
lips  closing  in  a  hard  line. 

She  turned  pale  and  cast  a  bewildered  glance 
at  me,  and  I  saw  that  her  courage  was  sorely  tried, 
and  fancied  that  she  was  distressed  by  the  tidings 
that  she  had  heard  before  coming  there.  She 
took  a  step  forward,  and  held  out  her  hands  with 
a  gesture  that  was  pathetic  in  its  appeal. 

"I  dare  not  think  of  your  Majesty's  refusal," 
she  said;  "I  will  not  believe  it." 

At  this  point  she  was  reinforced;  with  a  swift 
movement  Catherine  Shavronsky  passed  through 
the  circle  of  spectators  and  knelt  at  the  czar's 
feet.  He  started,  glancing  from  one  woman  to 
the  other  in  amazement. 

•'What  is  this?"  he  exclaimed  sharply;  "I  did 
not  come  here  to  hold  a  tribunal  of  justice." 

"But  of  mercy,  little  father,"  Catherine  said 
quietly.  "  I  kneel  here  to  second  mademoiselle's 
appeal.  M.  de  Lambert  is  a  stranger,  he  can  claim 
our  forbearance.  It  is  your  kindness  that  has  abol- 
ished forced  marriages,  and  made  happier  unions 
a  possibility.  Your  Majesty  has  always  been 
good  to  the  young.  Here,  then,  are  two  lovers, 
separated  by  misfortune  —  is  it  not  a  royal  pre- 
rogative to  give  them  happiness?  I  also  ask  a 
boon:  the  life  —  liberty  —  happiness  of  a  French 
soldier  of  the  czar  of  all  the  Russias  —  of  Peter 
the  magnanimous ! " 

She  had  touched  upon  a  delicate  point,  but  the 


3O2  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

czar  controlled  his  emotion.  He  stood  looking  at 
the  two  women  as  if  he  were  mentally  contrasting 
them,  and  the  whole  court  looked  also  and  mar- 
velled, for  they  were  singularly  beautiful  and 
singularly  unlike.  Catherine's  beauty  was  of  the 
feline  type,  and  coarser  but  more  striking  than 
Najine's;  hers  was  refined  and  charming  and 
spirited,  and  her  face  was  clouded  with  anxiety, 
while  Catherine's  was  kindled  with  excitement. 
Mademoiselle  stood,  while  the  Livonian  contin- 
ued to  kneel  until  the  czar  took  her  hand  and 
raised  her  to  her  feet,  and  then,  turning  to  the 
other  petitioner,  spoke  with  affected  carelessness. 

"Your  request  is  granted,  Najine,"  he  said;  "I 
cannot  resist  so  much  eloquence.  Mentchikof, 
let  the  captain  of  the  guard  release  M.  de  Lam- 
bert at  once  and  deliver  him  to  M.  de  Brousson. " 

Najine  took  a  step  forward,  and,  kneeling,  kissed 
the  czar's  hand;  and  the  blood  left  his  cheek,  and 
his  face  was  as  white  as  her  own. 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 

A  DUEL  WITH   SWORDS. 

MENTCHIKOF  lost  no  time  in  executing  the 
czar's  order,  and  signaled  to  me  to  follow  him  as 
he  left  the  salon.  I  made  my  way  out  as  rapidly 
and  quietly  as  I  could,  and  reached  the  ante-room 
in  time  to  find  him  transmitting  the  order  to  one 
of  the  guard. 

"M.  de  Brousson  will  accompany  you,"  he  said 
to  the  officer  as  I  entered;  and  then,  calling  me 
aside,  he  added :  "  Make  what  haste  you  can,  the 
czar's  mood  may  change.  He  yielded  because  of 
the  peculiarity  of  his  position,  and  Najine  Zotof's 
appeal  before  so  many  touched  his  pride,  but  he 
may  repent  his  order  at  any  moment.  Get  the 
young  man  out  of  the  country,  and  also  the  young 
woman. " 

"I  see  the  wisdom  of  your  advice,  monsieur," 
I  replied;  "but  the  last  is  not  so  easy." 

"I  know  it,  M.  de  Brousson,"  he  said  in  a  low 
voice ;  "  but  I  tell  you  that  the  imperial  mood  is 
tempestuous,  and — in  a  word  —  he  loves  Najine." 

"I  see  that,"  I  admitted  gravely,  "but  the  mat- 
ter is  difficult;  nevertheless,  with  your  aid,  I  will 
do  what  I  can." 


304  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

He  walked  with  me  to  the  stairs,  and  then, 
pausing,  laid  his  hand  upon  my  arm  and  looked 
into  my  face  with  those  keen  eyes  full  of  quiet 
meaning. 

"Marriage,  M.  1'Ambassadeur,"  he  said  in  a 
low  tone,  "  speedy  and  secret  marriage,  is  possible, 
and  it  alone  will  cut  the  knot." 

We  were  practically  alone;  a  few  attendants 
were  below,  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs,  and  three  or 
four  guards  lingered  in  the  corridor  observing  us 
with  curious  eyes,  but  no  one  could  overhear  our 
conversation.  I  looked  at  the  favorite  searchingly. 

"  And  the  risk  to  mademoiselle  ?  "  I  said  slowly. 

He  snapped  his  fingers.  "It  would  not  amount 
to  that!"  he  replied.  "His  Majesty  will  forgive 
her  —  after  a  while;  but  for  the  present,"  he 
laughed,  "a  pair  of  fleet  horses,  monsieur;  I  will 
look  well  to  the  pursuers  and  the  pursuit." 

He  took  a  signet  ring  from  his  finger,  and 
placed  it  in  my  hand. 

"I  trust  it  to  your  honor,  M.  le  Mar£chal,"  he 
said  significantly;  "use  it,  whenever  the  name 
of  Alexander  Mentchikof  may  speed  your  errand, 
and  remember  that  the  imperial  mood  will 
change. " 

And  with  this  caution  he  parted  from  me,  and 
I  went  out  into  the  night  attended  by  Pierrot  and 
the  captain  of  the  guard.  We  turned  our  steps 
immediately  toward  the  Kremlin,  walking  rapidly 
and  in  silence.  I  did  not  need  Mentchikof's 


A  DUEL    WITH  SWORDS.  305 

assurance  to  convince  me  that  there  was  no  time 
to  lose.  I  had  read  the  czar's  mood  almost  as 
easily  as  the  favorite,  and  knew  that  he  was  un- 
willing to  betray  to  the  whole  court  that  he,  the 
czar,  was  jealous  of  a  young  French  soldier  with 
no  fortune  but  his  sword  and  the  favor  of  the 
King  of  France.  That  Peter  was  intensely  angry 
at  Najine's  open  avowal  of  her  loyalty  to  her 
lover  was  manifest  enough,  and  I  did  not  doubt 
his  speedy  repentance  of  his  consent  to  release 
his  prisoner.  Meanwhile  I  had  the  order  which 
would  give  M.  de  Lambert  freedom,  and  a  few 
hours  in  which  to  get  him  out  of  the  city;  but 
how  to  accomplish  this  was  not  so  clear  unless  I 
found  him  in  a  more  yielding  mood  than  usual,  or 
I  could  prevail  upon  mademoiselle  to  facilitate 
matters.  I  trusted  to  Madame  de  Brousson's  wit 
and  courage  to  bring  Najine  safely  away  from 
Mentchikof's  house,  but  how  long  she  could  evade 
Madame  Zotof  was  another  question.  I  hoped 
much  from  the  fact  that  Najine  would  find  her 
position  so  difficult  that  it  would  be  more  simple 
to  follow  Mentchikof's  suggestion  than  to  face 
her  uncle's  displeasure.  The  favorite's  signet 
was  on  my  finger,  and  I  reflected  that  he  had 
shown  more  confidence  in  me  than  I  felt  in  him, 
for  I  was  doubtful  of  following  his  advice. 

When  we  reached  the  Kremlin,  the  imperial 
officer  took  the  lead  and  conducted  us  to  the  Mir- 
acle Monastery;  here  we  were  admitted  to  the 


306  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

refectory,  and  Pierrot  and  I  were  left  while  the 
soldier  had  a  long  private  conference  with  a  gen- 
tleman of  the  imperial  household,  and  finally  de- 
parted with  him,  requesting  us  to  remain  there 
half  an  hour.  Impatient  as  I  was,  I  had  no 
choice  but  to  await  his  return,  and  occupied  the 
time  with  some  reflections  upon  the  folly  of  tak- 
ing a  young  gallant  on  a  diplomatic  errand,  and 
resolving  that  I  would  never  agaya  find  myself  in 
so  unhappy  a  position,  — for  I  resented  the  covert 
affront  to  France  without  seeing  any  way  to 
avenge  it.  M.  de  Lambert  had  been  guilty  of 
rash  indifference  to  the  imperial  amour,  and  I 
could  scarcely  expect  the  czar  to  respect  his  per- 
son as  a  member  of  a  French  embassy.  My  med- 
itations were  interrupted  by  Pierrot,  who  had  been 
trying  all  the  doors  to  reassure  himself  as  to  their 
intentions  towards  us. 

"Do  you  think  they  will  return,  monsieur?" 
he  asked  significantly. 

"I  think  so,  Pierrot,"  I  replied  dryly;  "one 
can  never  be  sure,  but  I  do  not  think  there  were 
any  instructions  except  those  that  were  given  in 
my  presence." 

He  shook  his  head  gravely.  "They  have  been 
gone  some  time,"  he  remarked,  and  looked  at  me 
with  manifest  doubt  of  the  wisdom  of  a  longer 
wait  upon  their  pleasure. 

But  at  this  moment  we  heard  steps  without, 
and  the  officer  throwing  open  the  door  entered, 


A   DUEL    WITH  SWORDS.  307 

followed  by  Guillaume  de  Lambert,  whose  face 
looked  pale  and  haggard  with  anxiety,  but  lighted 
up  at  the  sight  of  us,  and  he  met  me  with  an 
exclamation  of  joy.  I  was  too  anxious,  however, 
to  get  him  out  to  "waste  time  on  words,  and, 
thanking  the  officer  for  his  services,  I  hurried 
M.  de  Lambert  off,  and  it  was  not  until  we  were 
in  the  street  that  I  permitted  him  to  speak. 

"This  has  been  an  outrage,"  he  exclaimed 
fiercely ;  "  I  have  been  mewed  up  and  half  starved 
in  a  regular  dungeon,  and  I  believe  that  they  had 
designs  on  my  life." 

"So  we  have  been  told,"  I  replied  dryly;  "but 
it  seems  to  me,  M.  de  Lambert,  that  you  have 
been  to  blame.  You  walked  into  the  snare  all  too 
easily,  and  mademoiselle  has  won  your  freedom  at 
the  cost  of  a  personal  appeal  to  the  czar. " 

He  stopped  short.  "Mademoiselle?"  he  said 
in  a  tone  of  wonder;  "she  is  at  Tro'ftsa. " 

"Pardon  me,  monsieur,"  I  returned  quietly, 
"she  is  in  Moscow.  Tidings  travel  rapidly,  and 
she  was  informed  of  your  misfortune,  and  came  — 
on  the  wings  of  love,  and  her  personal  appeal  to 
Peter  obtained  the  order  for  your  release." 

"Alas ! "  he  exclaimed,  "  I  am  unfortunate,  since 
it  is  I,  after  all,  who  brought  her  back  to  the  czar. 
I  would  rather  be  deprived  of  my  liberty  than 
purchase  it  at  such  a  price." 

"You  are  a  thankless  man,"  I  said;  "  few  could 
have  had  so  lovely  a  woman  to  plead  for  them. 


308  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

Now  that  you  have  your  liberty,  you  must  make 
good  use  of  it;"  and  I  told  him  briefly  of  the 
perils  of  the  situation  and  the  possibilities  of 
evading  the  czar. 

Mentchikof's  proposal  of  a  speedy  marriage  met 
with  instant  approval,  as  I  had  anticipated,  and  he 
was  all  impatience  to  urge  it  upon  Najine.  In  a 
few  words  he  told  me  of  his  capture,  which  fitted 
in  with  Apraxin's  story  of  it,  and  he  gave  a  clear 
view  of  the  discomforts  of  a  Russian  prison ;  yet 
he  had  been  treated  with  tolerable  moderation 
although  in  solitary  confinement.  His  worst  fear 
had  been  of  an  attempt  to  poison  him,  since  he 
had  not  anticipated  any  actual  violence  on  account 
of  his  nationality.  On  the  whole,  the  rumors 
which  had  reached  Madame  de  Brousson  and 
Najine  had  evidently  been  exaggerated;  but  he 
had  had  but  little  food,  and  had  been  kept  in 
rigid  imprisonment,  which  would  have  speedily 
accomplished  the  work  without  the  aid  of  more 
open  measures. 

As  we  approached  my  lodgings,  we  both  scanned 
them  eagerly  for  indications  of  Madame  de  Brous- 
son's  return;  but  when  we  reached  the  door,  found 
that  she  was  still  absent,  and  there  was  nothing 
to  do  but  wait.  We  entered  one  of  the  lower 
rooms,  and  Pierrot  went  at  once  for  food  and  wine 
for  our  returned  prisoner,  while  I  laid  aside  my 
cloak  and  sword  and  sat  down  by  the  fire.  M.  de 
Lambert  was  still  standing  by  the  table,  when  the 


A   DUEL    WITH  SWORDS.  309 

outer  door  was  suddenly  opened,  without  a  sum- 
mons, and  we  heard  a  quick  step  in  the  hall,  and 
in  a  moment  Apraxin  rushed  into  the  room  and 
confronted  M.  de  Lambert.  I  looked  at  the  in- 
truder in  amazement ;  he  was  without  hat  or  cloak, 
and  his  disordered  dress  told  of  a  recent  struggle, 
and  he  carried  a  naked  sword  in  his  hand.  How 
had  he  escaped  the  guards?  He  looked  at  M. 
Guillaume  with  furious  eyes. 

"  So !  "  he  exclaimed,  "  I  find  you  at  last !  You 
have  evaded  me  and  baffled  me  at  every  turn,  but 
you  shall  fight  me  now." 

M.  de  Lambert  gave  him  a  cold  glance,  meas- 
uring him  with  a  contemptuous  face. 

"I  do  not  fight  with  assassins  and  traitors,"  he 
replied  with  cutting  scorn. 

Apraxin  took  a  step  forward,  and  struck  at  his 
face  with  his  open  hand. 

"  You  are  a  coward ! "  he  exclaimed. 

M.  de  Lambert  caught  him  by  the  throat  and 
flung  him  back  against  the  wall  with  a  force  that 
made  his  sword  fly  from  his  hand ;  then  Guillaume 
folded  his  arms  upon  his  breast  and  looked  at  him 
with  a  smile. 

"If  you  need  further  chastisement,"  he  said 
coldly,  "you  can  have  it." 

Apraxin  had  recovered  himself,  and,  picking  up 
his  sword,  made  a  desperate  lunge  at  his  antago- 
nist, and  I  sprang  to  my  feet. 

"We  have  had  enough  of  this,"  I  exclaimed; 


3IO  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

but  M.  de  Lambert  had  taken  my  sword  from  the 
table. 

"Nay,  M.  le  Marshal,"  he  said,  "permit  me 
to  settle  with  this  fool;"  and  he  parried  another 
blow  that  Apraxin  aimed  at  him. 

I  stood  and  looked  on.  M.  de  Lambert  was  an 
expert  swordsman,  and  I  saw  that  Apraxin  was  no 
contemptible  adversary;  but  he  was  wild  with 
jealousy  and  passion,  and  attacked  his  antagonist 
with  blind  fury,  while  M.  Guillaumewas  cool,  and, 
although  he  had  felt  his  imprisonment,  his  nerve 
was  steady.  Apraxin  made  fierce  thrusts  and 
quick  blows,  while  M.  de  Lambert  was  graceful, 
dexterous,  wary.  They  were  nearly  matched  in 
height.  The  Frenchman  had  the  greater  breadth 
of  shoulder  and  depth  of  chest ;  the  Russian  was 
more  lithe  and  cat-like  in  his  motions.  Guil- 
laume  was  fair,  with  light  brown  locks,  wildly 
dishevelled,  for  his  powdered  peruke  had  fallen 
off;  Apraxin 's  face  was  white,  and  his  hair  blue 
black,  and  there  was  eager  hatred  in  the  tense 
expression  of  his  features.  He  began  the  fight 
with  furious  eagerness ;  then,  finding  his  antago- 
nist composed  and  fearfully  skilful  at  fencing,  he 
began  to  husband  his  strength  and  watch  for  an 
opportunity  to  strike  under  M.  de  Lambert's 
guard.  He  was  a  good  swordsman  and  used  the 
point  to  advantage,  but  he  was  unsteady  with  pas- 
sion, and  I  saw  the  wrist  falter  more  than  once 
when  he  tried  to  drive  a  blow  home;  and  while 


A   DUEL    WITH  SWORDS.  31 1 

Guillaume  was  still  collected,  the  beads  of  per> 
spiration  gathered  thick  on  his  assailant's  brow, 
and  I  saw  his  eyes  dilate  and  his  nostrils  stretch 
and  quiver  as  he  labored  for  breath.  M.  de  Lam- 
bert was  on  the  defensive,  parrying  the  other's 
eager  blows  and  watching  him  with  an  unfaltering 
eye  until  the  Russian  began  to  waver  and  struck 
wildly.  So  hot  grew  the  fight  that  their  swords 
flashed  in  a  circle  of  light  and  I  could  scarcely 
follow  their  play.  Suddenly  Apraxin  made  a 
mad  lunge  at  his  antagonist's  heart,  and  M.  de 
Lambert,  parrying  it  with  a  quick  movement,  gave 
him  a  blow  that  stretched  him  on  the  floor.  But 
he  sprang  up  like  a  tiger,  and  flew  at  his  adver- 
sary's throat;  for  a  moment  they  grappled  and 
wrestled,  then  M.  de  Lambert,  lifting  him  from 
his  feet,  threw  him  the  third  time  and  knelt  upon 
his  breast. 

"The  fellow  is  mad,"  Guillaume  said,  his  own 
breath  coming  short,  for  the  struggle  though  brief 
had  been  fierce. 

The  last  fall  was  severe,  and  Apraxin  had  lost 
consciousness,  and  after  a  glance  at  him  M.  de 
Lambert  rose  and  threw  water  on  his  face. 

"I  hope  I  have  not  killed  the  fool,"  he  said 
gravely;  "he  fought  like  a  demon." 

I  joined  him,  and  together  we  made  some  efforts 
to  revive  him,  but  with  poor  success ;  he  had  struck 
the  back  of  his  head  and  lay  quite  still. 

"This   is  unfortunate,"   I   remarked    thought- 


312  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

fully;  "we  do  not  want  him  here.  He  must  have 
escaped  from  Mentchikof,  and  to  Mentchikof  he 
must  be  returned." 

I  stood  reflecting  upon  a  proper  course  of  action, 
and  was  relieved  to  see  signs  of  returning  anima- 
tion in  the  fellow.  At  this  instant  Pierrot  an- 
nounced that  the  carriage  had  come  with  Madame 
de  Brousson  and  mademoiselle,  and  a  plan  flashed 
upon  me. 

"Go  out  to  meet  them,  M.  de  Lambert,"  I  said 
at  once,  "and  say  nothing  of  this.  I  will  send 
Apraxin  back  to  Mentchikof  in  the  carriage  with 
Pierrot  and  Touchet;  there  is  no  other  way  of 
evading  unpleasant  consequences.  Happily,  your 
chastisement  was  so  thorough  that  he  is  not  likely 
to  want  another. " 

There  was  no  need  for  more  words,  for  M.  de 
Lambert  went  out  to  meet  Najine,  and  Pierrot 
helped  me  to  raise  Apraxin.  As  soon  as  we  heard 
madame  and  mademoiselle  pass  on  up  the  stairs, 
we  called  Touchet,  and  we  three  managed  to  place 
the  half-conscious  youth  in  the  carriage,  and  I 
despatched  them  to  Mentchikof  with  strict  in- 
junctions to  convey  the  prisoner  into  the  house 
in  a  secret  manner  and  explain  the  matter  to 
Mentchikof  alone  and  so  relieve  me  of  the  em- 
barrassment of  this  troublesome  boy.  I  could 
trust  their  devotion,  and  watched  the  carriage  roll 
away  in  the  darkness  with  a  sigh  of  relief. 

I  was  out  of  one  difficulty,  but  there  was  another 


A   DUEL    WITH  SWORDS.  313 

in  the  upper  room,  and  a  far  more  delicate  one, 
since  there  was  a  woman  in  it,  and  that  woman 
young,  beautiful,  spirited,  and  ill  to  guide;  was 
ever  man  in  more  perplexing  situation  ?  I  looked 
up  at  the  skies,  which  were  clouded,  and  I  sighed; 
truly,  the  annoyances  of  life  are  many.  I  entered 
the  house  and,  barring  the  door,  walked  slowly 
and  thoughtfully  up  the  stairs.  It  rested  with 
me  to  get  M.  de  Lambert  away ;  to  rescue  made- 
moiselle's happiness;  to  outwit  Zotof;  and,  last 
not  least,  to  defeat,  disappoint,  and  baffle  the  czar ! 
What  were  my  weapons?  Najine's  love  for  Guil- 
laume  de  Lambert,  his  devoted  courage,  my  own 
wit,  and  Mentchikof's  signet  ring. 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

NAJINE   AND   HER   LOVER. 

ON  reaching  the  head  of  the  stairs,  I  opened  the 
door  upon  a  pretty  picture.  Madame  de  Brousson 
had  discreetly  left  the  lovers  alone,  and  they  were 
standing  together  before  the  fire,  M.  de  Lambert's 
arm  around  Najine,  and  the  firelight  shining  on 
their  faces.  They  started  at  my  unexpected  en- 
trance, and  her  cheeks  were  rosy  with  blushes  as 
she  saw  the  smile  in  my  eyes ;  but  she  came  up  to 
me,  and  clasped  my  hand  in  both  hers. 

"  I  have  to  thank  you,  monsieur,"  she  said,  "  for 
all  you  have  done  for  me  and  for  M.  de  Lambert." 

I  laughed  softly.  "  Nay,  mademoiselle,"  I  re- 
plied gently,  "  M.  de  Lambert  owes  more  to  you 
than  to  any  one,  and  I  trust  that  he  has  properly 
thanked  you." 

She  laughed  a  little  at  this,  and  glanced  mis- 
chievously at  her  lover.  "  I  believe  he  is  grateful, 
monsieur,"  she  said  archly. 

"  Jesting  aside,  mademoiselle,"  I  went  on  gravely, 
"  we  have  no  time  to  lose ;  M.  de  Lambert  must 
leave  Moscow  to-night." 

She  started  and  glanced  sadly  at  her  lover,  and 
he  looked  back  at  her  with  eager  interrogation. 


NAJINE  AND  HER  LOVER.  315 

"  Alas  !  "  she  exclaimed,  "  so  soon  !  Do  you  be- 
lieve it  necessary,  M.  le  Mare"chal?" 

"Mademoiselle,"  I  replied,  "do  you  yourself 
believe  that  the  czar  is  likely  to  stand  by  his  action 
to-night?" 

She  was  silent  for  a  moment,  and  then  shook  her 
head.  "I  cannot  tell,"  she  said  sadly;  "he  is  a 
passionate  and  changeful  man,  and  acts,  I  fear,  too 
often  on  the  impulse  of  the  moment" 

"Mademoiselle,"  I  replied,  "I  have  the  assur- 
ance of  Alexander  Mentchikof  that  the  czar  may 
change  at  any  moment.  M.  de  Lambert  must 
leave  Moscow  at  once,  and  for  all  time,  if  he  would 
be  safe;  and  you  must  bid  him  farewell  unless  —  " 

I  paused  and  glanced  at  Guillaume. 

"  I  have  told  her,"  he  said,  "  and  she  raises  a 
thousand  objections  to  the  haste  and  the  danger." 

"  I  thought  you  a  brave  woman,  mademoiselle," 
I  remarked. 

"  It  is  not  for  myself,"  she  cried  with  feeling; 
"  it  is  for  him." 

I  looked  from  one  to  the  other.  "  Ah,  mademoi- 
selle," I  said  quietly,  "  I  see  how  it  is.  I  will  leave 
you  to  M.  de  Lambert's  persuasion;  but  time 
presses,  and  I  shall  presently  return;"  and  I  went 
out  to  find  my  wife,  for  I  saw  that  Najine  was  on 
the  point  of  yielding,  and  that  her  lover  would 
be  a  far  more  effective  argument  than  my  best 
eloquence. 

I  found  Ze'na'fde  waiting  with  impatience  for  the 


316  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

return  of  Pierrot.  She  had  arranged  everything  in 
her  own  mind,  and  was  full  of  impatience  to  carry 
out  her  designs. 

"  They  must  be  married  at  once,"  she  said  with 
decision ;  "  every  hour  counts,  and  Najine  has 
selected  this  time  to  hesitate  and  increase  our  em- 
barrassments, while  I  have  been  looking  for  Madame 
Zotof  at  any  moment." 

I  smiled.  "  A  more  terrible  infliction  than  the 
czar,"  I  admitted ;  "  but  mademoiselle  will  yield. 
We  must  go  straight  to  the  Kremlin,  find  a  priest, 
and  have  the  knot  tied." 

"There  will  be  a  difficulty  about  the  priest," 
Zenai'de  said. 

I  showed  her  Mentchikof 's  signet,  and  explained 
briefly  his  cautions  and  fears. 

"  The  signet  will  probably  help  us,"  she  said 
thoughtfully.  "  Meanwhile  we  must  prevail  upon 
Najine  to  consent  at  once." 

As  she  spoke,  there  was  a  hasty  tap  upon  the 
door,  and  I  opened  it  to  admit  Pierrot. 

"  Monsieur  and  madame,"  he  said  hurriedly, 
"  the  Zotofs  are  coming.  I  left  Touchet  with  the 
carriage  at  some  distance  that  they  might  not  see 
us  approach,  and  I  have  put  out  the  lights  at  the 
front  of  the  house." 

"  Wise  Pierrot,"  I  said,  "  put  out  all  the  lights 
that  show  at  the  windows ;  "  and  then  I  turned  to 
my  wife  for  suggestions. 

"  It  is,  as  I  thought,"  she  said  ;  "  the  czar  intends 


NAJINE  AND  HER  LOVER.  317 

that  Madame  Zotof  shall  undo  all  that  he  has  done. 
We  must  get  mademoiselle  and  M.  de  Lambert  out 
by  the  rear  door." 

"Will  that  be  possible,  Pierrot?"  I  asked. 

"  If  no  time  is  lost,  monsieur.  They  will  first  try 
the  front  door,  and  it  is  possible  that  they  may  be- 
lieve that  we  have  already  departed." 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders.  "  Not  while  Madame 
Zotof  is  of  the  party,"  I  said. 

Zenai'de  had  already  gone  to  hasten  mademoi- 
selle's decision,  and  I  followed.  At  the  first  note  of 
danger  Najine's  spirit  awoke,  and  she  was  as  quick 
to  act  as  we  could  desire.  I  saw  by  M.  de  Lam- 
bert's face  that  he  had  overcome  her  scruples  to  a 
hasty  marriage,  and  I  felt  that  we  could  now  pro- 
ceed without  further  delays.  In  a  few  moments 
both  women  were  cloaked  and  hooded  for  the 
street,  and  preceded  by  Pierrot  we  crept  down  the 
stairs  to  the  door  at  the  rear.  We  were  half-way 
down  when  we  were  startled  by  a  loud  knock  at 
the  front. 

"  They  have  come !  "  exclaimed  mademoiselle 
beneath  her  breath,  pausing  to  listen. 

"  The  more  reason  for  haste,"  I  said,  taking  her 
hand  and  leading  her  forward.  Then  I  called  to 
Pierrot,  "  Is  there  any  one  at  this  entrance  ?  " 

He  was  listening  at  the  door,  and  in  a  moment 
opened  it  and  looked  out  "  Safe  as  yet,  mon- 
sieur," he  said. 

We  hurried  down  and  out,  for  there  was  now 


318  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

quite  an  uproar  at  the  front  door.  We  stood  a 
moment  listening,  Najine's  hand  in  mine. 

"  We  must  run  for  it !  "  I  exclaimed.  And  we 
all  ran  down  the  lane  like  a  party  of  children,  and 
reached  the  carriage  without  hindrance.  As  soon 
as  we  were  seated  within  it,  the  horses  started  at  a 
round  pace,  and  I  laughed  as  I  thought  of  Madame 
Zotof  beating  upon  my  door  for  admittance. 

"  Have  a  care,  monsieur,"  Zenalde  said  warn- 
ingly ;  "  do  not  laugh  too  soon." 

"You  think  my  mirth  premature?"  I  replied 
thoughtfully;  "  it  may  be  so,  but  I  saw  so  plainly 
Madame  Zotof  before  that  door.  I  beg  your  par- 
don, mademoiselle,  but  your  aunt's  energy  is 
amusing." 

"  They  will  follow  us  to  the  Kremlin,"  she  re- 
joined quietly.  "  My  aunt  never  gives  up." 

"  A  worthy  quality,  mademoiselle,"  I  remarked, 
"  and  madame  may  follow  as  soon  as  the  marriage 
is  consummated.  She  cannot  prevail  against  the 
church." 

"  In  any  case,  madame  will  not  prevail,"  re- 
marked M.  de  Lambert,  quietly;  "  Najine  has  con- 
sented to  be  my  wife,  and  I  trust  that  I  am  able  to 
fight  her  battles  as  well  as  my  own." 

"  There  is  no  doubt  about  your  ability  to  fight 
your  own,  monsieur,"  I  remarked,  laughing  to 
myself  as  I  thought  of  his  duel  with  Apraxin  ;  but 
neither  Zenai'de  nor  Najine  understood  my  ref- 
erence, and  I  felt  M.  de  Lambert  stir  uneasily, 


NAJINE  AND   HER  LOVER.  319 

probably  afraid  of  alarming  \i\sfiancee.  I  laughed 
the  more,  knowing  how  she  admired  her  lover's 
prowess  and  how  little  she  esteemed  the  van- 
quished, for  she  had  a  spirit  that  despised  all 
cowardice  and  meanness.  In  spite  of  my  anxi- 
eties, I  found  much  food  for  amusing  reflection,  — 
the  embarrassment  of  the  czar,  finding  made- 
moiselle as  a  suppliant  for  her  lover;  the  mad 
folly  of  M.  Apraxin,  and  the  fury  of  that  shrew 
Madame  Zotof.  Meanwhile  we  had  been  driving 
rapidly,  and  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour  the  carriage 
stopped  within  the  Gate  of  the  Redeemer,  and,  leav- 
ing the  women  in  charge  of  M.  de  Lambert,  I 
went  to  find  a  priest  whom  I  could  trust  with  this 
delicate  affair.  After  a  little  inquiry  I  was  di- 
rected to  the  Cathedral  of  the  Assumption,  and, 
returning  for  the  others,  we  went  there  together, 
and  I  found  the  priest  whom  I  sought.  It  was, 
however,  not  an  easy  matter  to  induce  him  to  per- 
form the  ceremony ;  our  nationality,  the  haste,  and 
the  hour  —  it  was  now  long  past  midnight  — 
aroused  his  suspicions,  and  he  looked  long  and 
searchingly  at  mademoiselle's  muffled  figure.  It 
was  certain  that  I  would  never  have  prevailed  over 
his  scruples  without  Mentchikof's  signet  ring. 
The  sight  of  it  had  an  immediate  effect  upon  him, 
and  shook  his  resolution ;  he  dared  not  offend  the 
all-powerful  favorite,  and  in  ignorance  of  the  ex- 
tent of  the  risk  involved,  he  finally  yielded  a 
reluctant  consent  to  my  persuasions,  and  went  into 


32O  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

the  center  of  the  church  for  the  ceremony.  Najine 
was  agitated,  and  clung  to  my  wife  for  support  and 
encouragement,  realizing  that  it  was  a  decisive 
step,  and  that  she  was  imperilling  her  lover's  lib- 
erty and  perhaps  his  life,  for  if  the  czar's  mood 
changed  it  might  be  the  simplest  way  to  make  her 
a  widow.  M.  de  Lambert's  own  face  was  pale,  but 
with  emotion  rather  than  anxiety,  and  he  stood 
beside  his  bride,  the  picture  of  a  gallant  soldier. 
Mademoiselle  had  thrown  back  her  hood,  and  I 
thought,  as  I  looked  at  her  in  the  light  of  the 
tapers  that  they  held  in  their  hands,  that  I  had  never 
seen  a  bride  more  lovely  in  all  the  splendid  attire 
of  the  court,  than  this  young  girl  in  her  long  gray 
cloak  that  fell  from  throat  to  feet,  the  fur-lined 
hood  thrown  back,  and  her  face  fair  and  pale  as  a 
white  lily  against  the  gloom  of  the  vast  interior  of 
the  cathedral.  There  were  no  lights  behind  us, 
only  those  before  the  altar ;  and  they  served  to  in- 
crease the  darkness  of  the  nave  while  illuminating 
the  splendid  golden  iconostase,  blazing  with  pre- 
cious jewels  around  the  faces  of  Madonnas ;  above 
was  the  great  dome,  about  us  were  the  mighty  pil- 
lars with  their  images  of  saints  and  martyrs,  rising 
one  above  another,  while  on  every  side  from  the 
golden  background  loomed  the  dark  forms  of  pic- 
tured angels  and  archangels ;  and  on  the  pavement 
beneath  our  feet  had  knelt,  generation  after  gen- 
eration, the  Grand  Dukes  of  Muscovy  and  the 
Czars  of  all  the  Russias. 


NAJINE   AND  HER  LOVER. 

My  wife  and  I  and  our  attendants  stood  a  little 
apart  to  witness  the  ceremony,  while  the  white- 
haired  priest  united  the  lovers.  Softly  intoning  the 
service,  he  placed  two  golden  crowns  upon  their 
heads  and,  clasping  their  hands  in  his,  led  them 
three  times  around  the  great  taper  that  he  had 
lighted  in  the  center  of  the  church,  and  which 
shone  like  a  star.  I  looked  at  the  picture  that 
they  made  with  strange  reflections :  here  was  a 
young  and  beautiful  woman  willing  to  forego  the 
splendors  of  a  throne  to  become  the  wife  of  a 
French  soldier,  preferring  his  love  to  a  power 
that  might  have  been  almost  absolute  with  the 
czar;  for  I  had  seen  enough  to  be  convinced  that 
Peter  loved  Najine  with  all  the  strength  of  his 
fierce  nature,  and  that  she  could  have  swayed  him 
as  no  other  woman  ever  would.  How  strange  is 
the  course  of  destiny !  Here  was  a  woman  who 
might  have  been  Empress  of  all  the  Russias  and 
she  preferred  to  be  the  wife  of  a  gallant  gentleman 
of  the  French  King's  household.  After  all,  was 
not  her  choice  wise?  For  her  undoubtedly,  but 
for  some  women  impossible.  There  are  souls  that 
covet  the  slippery  heights  of  power,  that  long  to 
rule  the  destinies  of  men,  and  there  are  women  to 
whom  a  lot  of  domestic  obscurity  would  mean 
bitter  unhappiness.  I  could  not  imagine  Cathe- 
rine Shavronsky  content  with  such  a  fate;  she 
would  fight  for  power,  while  she  lived,  and  wade 
through  the  mire  of  personal  degradation  to  obtain 


322  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

her  goal.  No  cost  would  be  too  great,  no  sacrifice 
too  supreme,  for  her  consuming  ambition.  Such 
were  my  thoughts  while  I  stood  listening  to  the 
solemn  words  that  made  Najine  Zotof  the  wife  of 
Guillaume  de  Lambert,  —  strange  reflections,  no 
doubt,  yet  I  believe  that  my  wife's  were  nearly 
identical,  only  that  she  had  a  woman's  quick  sym- 
pathy for  the  young  girl's  emotion;  a  woman's 
appreciation  of  her  purity  and  truth,  which  not 
even  the  most  splendid  temptations  of  a  court 
could  sully  or  corrupt.  As  for  the  two  lovers 
themselves,  they  were  too  absorbed  in  each  other, 
too  devoutly  attentive  to  the  priest,  to  be  conscious 
of  any  world  outside  their  own,  and  I  saw  Ze- 
na'fde's  eyes  moist  with  sympathy  as  she  watched 
them.  The  last  words  of  the  benediction  spoken, 
M.  de  Lambert  turned  to  us  with  radiant  eyes,  and 
Najine  threw  herself  into  my  wife's  arms  with  a 
little  sob  of  deep  emotion. 

"  I  owe  all  to  you,  monsieur,"  M.  de  Lambert 
said  warmly,  as  he  clasped  my  hand ;  "  I  have 
been  a  rash  fool,  and  without  you  would  have 
failed  miserably." 

"  Nay,"  I  replied,  smiling,  "  you  were  no  fool  in 
the  one  quarter  where  wisdom  was  most  desired, 
monsieur ;  and  you  owe  much,  too,  to  Madame  de 
Lambert." 

He  smiled  at  the  name,  and  glanced  at  Najine, 
who  turned  now  to  me  with  her  own  sweet  manner, 
thanking  me  for  all  my  kindness  to  her  until  I 


NAJINE  AND   HER  LOVER.  323 

was    myself  embarrassed,   feeling  that  I  scarcely 

deserved  so  much,  and  so  turned  it  aside  with  a 

jest.. 

"  Nay,  madame,"  I  said,  "  do  not  thank  me  too 

much   for  making  you  the  wife  of  a  poor  man, 

when,"  I  added  in  a  low  tone,  "you  might  have 

been  an  empress." 

She  looked  up  at  her  husband  with  a  glance  of 

proud  affection. 

"  Not    so,    M.    1'Ambassadeur,"    she   said   with 

spirit.     "  I    owe   you    the   more  thanks,  since    no 

queen  could   be  more  happy  than  the  wife  of  a 

brave  and  loyal  man." 

M.  de  Lambert  bent  his  head  gracefully  and 
kissed  her  hand.  "  I  am  more  fortunate  than  an 

emperor,"  he  replied. 

"  You  are  both  more  fortunate,"  Madame  de 
Brousson  said  quietly;  "a  loyal  heart  is  richer 
than  a  crown,  and  you  are  happier  in  each  other 
than  either  emperors  or  kings." 

Meanwhile  the  priest  who  had  performed  the 
ceremony  was  eager  to  be  rid  of  us,  and,  knowing 
the  perils  of  delay,  I  too  became  impatient,  and 
urged  upon  M.  de  Lambert  the  necessity  of  imme- 
diate departure.  We  had  previously  decided  upon 
the  road  that  they  should  travel,  and  I  sent  Touchet 
to  Mentchikof  with  a  verbal  message  that  would 
inform  him  that  the  deed  was  done,  and  nothing 
now  remained  but  to  get  the  pair  off  as  speedily  as 
might  be.  Events  had  crowded  upon  each  other, 


324  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

but  it  was  now  near  dawn,  and  it  was  neces- 
sary for  them  to  leave  Moscow  while  the  dark- 
ness remained.  Mentchikof  had  furnished  me 
with  a  pass  that  would  open  the  gates  for  them, 
and  I  had  previously  arranged  a  change  of  horses 
for  M.  de  Lambert,  anticipating  the  necessity  of 
his  departure,  whether  he  married  mademoiselle 
or  not.  The  priest  hurried  us  out  of  the  cathedral, 
and  Zena'fde  and  I  rode  with  them  a  little  way  to 
a  spot  where  we*  could  leave  the  carriage  and  go 
to  our  quarters  with  Pierrot,  while  Touchet  was 
to  overtake  them  with  the  woman,  Neonila,  and 
attend  them  on  their  hurried  journey  to  France. 
Najine  parted  from  my  wife  with  tears,  for,  after 
all,  she  had  been  sorely  tried,  and  was  young  and 
estranged  from  her  kindred,  and  about  to  go  to  a 
strange  land  to  begin  a  new  life  far  from  family  and 
friends ;  yet  so  great  and  so  trusting  is  the  love  of 
woman  that  it  will  endure  all  things  and  believe 
all  things  for  him  who  has  won  it.  It  touched 
both  Zena'fde  and  me  to  observe  M.  de  Lambert's 
tender  appreciation  of  her  fears  and  her  regrets, 
for  he  had  that  fine  gentleness  that  belongs  to  the 
greatest  courage,  —  the  tenderness  that  is  a  part  of 
a  noble  spirit.  When  my  wife  bade  Najine  adieu, 
she  turned  to  him  with  grave  admonition. 

"  Be  considerate  of  her,  monsieur,"  she  said 
warmly,  "  for  she  is  leaving  her  guardians,  her 
country,  her  friends,  for  your  sake  alone  —  and 
there  is  no  richer  gift  than  a  good  woman's  heart." 


NAJINE  AND  HER  LOVER.  325 

M.  de  Lambert  took  my  wife's  hands  in  his,  and 
pressed  them  to  his  lips. 

"  Madame,"  he  replied,  with  a  thrill  of  strong 
emotion  in  his  voice,  "  I  love  you  for  your  own 
goodness  and,  most  of  all,  for  your  love  for  Najine. 
Fear  not  that  I  shall  fail  in  appreciation,  for, 
madame,  I  value  her  love  above  all  the  riches  of 
this  world,  as  the  one  gift  without  price." 

With  these  words  we  parted  from  them  and 
stood  watching  the  carriage  as  it  rolled  away  with 
Najine's  fair  face  outlined  dimly  in  the  darkness. 
They  went  off  together  into  the  night  upon  a 
perilous  and  uncertain  journey,  but  as  happy  in 
their  confidence  as  the  most  fortunate  of  married 
pairs  ;  and  my  wife  and  I  watched  and  listened,  and 
then  we  looked  up  and  saw  the  clouds  drifting 
away  and  the  stars  shining.  It  seemed  a  happy 
omen. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

MADAME  ZOTOF. 

MADAME  DE  BROUSSON  and  I  walked  slowly 
toward  our  quarters,  attended  by  Pierrot.  As  we 
approached  the  house,  I  heard  Zenai'de  laugh 
softly. 

"  Now  we  must  face  Madame  Zotof,"  she  said 
in  an  amused  tone.  "  I  have  no  doubt  that  she  is 
waiting  for  us." 

"  Unless  she  has  gone  in  search  of  us  else- 
where," I  replied. 

"She  is  there,  I  think,"  Z^na'fde  said  quietly; 
"  I  can  see  some  persons  at  the  door.  Madame 
has  the  patience  of  obstinacy." 

"  I  trust  that  it  is  only  madame,"  I  remarked 
gravely;  "  it  is  a  long  time  for  her  to  wait,  for  the 
dawn  is  breaking  in  the  east." 

"  You  will  find  that  it  is  she,"  Zena'fde  returned. 

In  a  few  moments  her  words  were  verified. 
There  were  three  figures  at  the  door;  and  as  we 
approached,  a  woman  came  forward,  and  we  were 
greeted  by  madame's  high  voice. 

"  So  you  have  come  at  last,  M.  1'Ambassadeur," 
she  exclaimed  shrilly.  "  M.  Zotof  is  searching  the 


MADAME  ZOTOF.  327 

town  for  you,  but  I  simply  waited  here.  Who  is 
that  with  you?  " 

"  It  is  I,  Madame  Zotof,"  Zenaide  replied  pleas- 
antly. "  I  did  not  expect  visitors  at  this  early 
hour,  but  I  will  endeavor  to  receive  you  with  appro- 
priate courtesy." 

"  I  thank  you,"  madame  replied  with  mocking 
suavity.  "  I  remember  yet  the  cordiality  of  your 
last  reception,  Madame  de  Brousson,  but  I  am 
even  forced  to  trespass  upon  your  hospitality  once 
more." 

Remembering  that  I  had  protested  against  the 
former  visit,  I  smiled  a  little,  especially  when  I 
thought  that  they  had  not  dared  to  force  an  en- 
trance, although  they  must  have  been  full  of  im- 
patience and  furious  at  the  delay.  Pierrot  had 
entered  at  the  rear,  and  coming  through  the 
house  opened  the  door  for  us.  The  gray  light 
of  early  dawn  was  breaking  through  the  darkness 
without,  but  within  the  tapers  were  still  burning, 
and  their  radiance  seemed  dingy  and  yellowish 
in  contrast  to  the  growing  light  at  the  windows, 
from  which  Pierrot  was  removing  the  shutters. 
Zenai'de  led  the  way  up  the  stairs,  and,  entering 
the  small  salon,  laid  aside  her  mantle  and  turned 
calmly  to  Madame  Zotof. 

"  And  now,  madame,"  she  said  quietly,  "  I  am 
at  your  service." 

"  I  come  on  the  old  quest,  Madame  de  Brous- 
son," she  replied  haughtily;  "  where  is  my  niece?" 


328  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

Z6naifde  smiled.  "  Not  here  certainly,"  she  re- 
turned, with  a  glance  at  the  vacant  room. 

"  That  is  the  old  story,"  Madame  Zotof  ex- 
claimed with  impatience.  "She  is  never  here; 
yet  I  know  that  she  went  with  you  to  Ment- 
chikofs  house,  and  there  made  herself  notorious 
by  an  appeal  to  the  czar  in  the  behalf  of  M.  de 
Lambert.  It  is  time  that  she  came  to  me  and 
behaved  as  becomes  a  modest  maiden." 

"  Mademoiselle  is  incapable  of  any  but  modest 
and  maidenly  behavior,"  Zenai'de  replied  with 
spirit;  "you  are  scarcely  just  to  her." 

Madame  Zotof  laughed  scornfully.  "  I  have  the 
longer  acquaintance,  madame,"  she  said,  "  but  I 
ask  you  with  all  courtesy  to  inform  my  niece 
that  I  await  her  pleasure,  and  it  will  be  well  to 
add  that  the  czar  desires  that  she  shall  return  to 
her  guardians." 

Zenalde  cast  a  quick  glance  at  me  of  mingled 
amusement  and  dismay. 

"  Frankly,  Madame  Zotof,"  she  rejoined,  "  I 
cannot  deliver  your  message,  for  mademoiselle  is 
not  here.  She  did  indeed  accompany  me  to 
Mentchikofs  house,  but  she  is  no  longer  with  us." 

"  However,  you  know  where  she  is,  madame," 
Madame  Zotof  exclaimed  with  impatience;  "it  is 
useless  to  deny  it." 

"At  this  moment  I  really  do  not  know  where 
she  is,"  Zena'fde  replied  calmly,  determined  to 
delay  the  other  woman's  discovery  of  the  secret 


MADAME  ZGTOF, 


329 


as  long  as  possible ;  but  a  sudden  inspiration  came 
to  Madame  Zotof,  and  she  turned  sharply  upon  my 
wife. 

"  Where  is  M.  de  Lambert?"  she  demanded. 

I  felt  that  it  was  time  for  me  to  interfere. 

"  M.  de  Lambert  has  been  but  lately  liberated 
by  his  imperial  Majesty's  commands,"  I  said,  "  and 
I  have  to  inform  you,  madame,  that  your  nephew, 
M.  Apraxin,  came  here  and  made  a  murderous 
attack  upon  him." 

"  And  was  it  not  provoked,  M.  1'Ambassadeur?  " 
she  exclaimed ;  "  did  you  not  entrap  him  for  the 
sole  purpose  of  inflaming  the  czar  against  him, 
and  so  blinding  his  Majesty  to  the  true  state  of 
affairs?" 

"You  heap  one  accusation  upon  another,  ma- 
dame,"  I  replied  gravely.  "  M.  Apraxin  betrayed 
M.  de  Lambert  into  the  hands  of  the  guard,  and  I 
only  desired  to  obtain  his  liberty.  Your  kinsman's 
repeated  attacks  upon  him  were  unprovoked  and 
unmerited." 

Madame's  temper  was  rising,  and  she  looked  at 
me  with  flashing  eyes. 

"  You  take  high  ground,  M.  1'Ambassadeur," 
she  said  cuttingly;  "you  are  injured,  you  are 
badly  used,  but  you  forget  altogether  M.  de  Lam- 
bert's pursuit  of  my  niece  in  the  face  of  my  oppo- 
sition and  of  Zotofs,  and  you  forget  your  own 
encouragement  of  her  unmaidenly  disobedience. 
It  was  natural  that  Yury  Apraxin  should  be 


330  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

deeply  incensed  against  this  foreigner,  and  I  do 
not  blame  him." 

"  You  do  not  blame  a  man  for  striking  another 
in  the  back,  madame?"  I  repeated  with  feigned 
surprise.  "  I  should  have  looked  for  more  justice 
at  your  hands." 

She  bit  her  lip.  "  You  choose  to  misunder- 
stand me,"  she  replied  petulantly.  "  I  am  not 
responsible  for  the  passionate  anger  of  a  boy,  but 
I  do  insist  that  the  provocation  was  extreme. 
M.  de  Lambert  had  no  right  to  seek  my  niece 
against  the  wishes  of  her  guardians." 

"  And  yet,  madame,"  I  said  suavely,  "  I  remem- 
ber the  days  when  I,  like  M.  de  Lambert,  believed 
that  you  favored  his  suit." 

I  was  referring  to  the  period  before  the  czar 
turned  his  eyes  in  the  direction  of  mademoiselle ; 
and  madame,  understanding  the  covert  taunt, 
flushed  crimson  with  anger. 

"  We  waste  words,  M.  de  Brousson,"  she  said ; 
"  all  this  does  not  tell  me  where  M.  de  Lambert 
is,  and  I  have  a  right  to  ask  to  see  him." 

"  You  have  a  right  certainly,  madame,"  I  replied, 
smiling  when  I  thought  of  their  new  relationship, 
"  and  I  am  sorry  that  I  cannot  gratify  your  desire 
to  see  him.  M.  de  Lambert  has  been  unfortunate 
enough,  as  you  know,  to  fall  under  the  czar's  dis- 
pleasure, and  it  was  not  desirable  for  him  to  re- 
main longer  as  a  member  of  my  party.  Therefore 
he  has  departed." 


MADAME  ZOTOF.  331 

She  stood  a  moment  looking  at  me,  her  thoughts 
coming  too  rapidly  for  her  to  entirely  grasp  the 
situation,  although  she  began  to  see  it  with  grow- 
ing distinctness.  Her  face  was  crimson,  and  her 
breath  came  short. 

"He  has  departed?"  she  repeated  vaguely. 
"M.  de  Lambert  has  left  Moscow?  You  do  not 
mean  that  he  has  gone  on  his  way  to  France?" 
she  added,  with  almost  a  scream. 

I  smiled  and  bowed  gravely.  "  Yes,  madame," 
I  said  quietly,  "  M.  de  Lambert  is  now  on  his  way 
to  Versailles." 

"That  Frenchman  has  gone  —  has  left  Mos- 
cow?" she  cried;  and  then  she  went  to  my  wife, 
grasping  her  arm  almost  with  violence.  "  Woman," 
she  exclaimed  fiercely,  "where  is  my  niece?" 

Zenai'de  shook  off  her  hand  with  a  haughty 
gesture. 

"  I  must  tell  you  plainly,  madame,"  she  said, 
"  that  I  am  not  responsible  for  your  niece.  Made- 
moiselle Zotof  is  able  to  act  for  herself." 

"  You  are  both  trifling  with  me,"  madame  cried 
with  passion.  "  There  is  some  mystery  behind  all 
this — and  I  will  have  my  niece.  You  shall  not 

* 

defy  me  —  you  dare  not !  " 

Zena'fde  turned  a  glance  upon  her  that  was  at 
once  cold  and  contemptuous. 

"Dare,  madame?"  she  repeated  with  hauteur; 
"  it  would  be  strange  indeed  if  I  feared  the  anger 
of  Madame  Zotof." 


332  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

Madame  felt  the  retort  keenly,  for  she  knew 
that  Zena'fde  was  a  Russian  and  a  Ramodanofsky, 
one  of  a  family  beside  which  the  Zotofs  were  as 
mushrooms.  Happily,  at  this  moment  I  heard 
steps  without,  and  Pierrot  came  to  the  door  to 
usher  in  M.  Zotof.  He  was  flushed  and  panting 
from  the  ascent  of  the  stair,  and  I  saw  at  a  glance 
that  he  had  heard  bad  tidings;  but,  unlike 
madame  his  wife,  he  was  always  inclined  to  pro- 
pitiate, and,  I  think,  had  a  natural  distaste  for  a 
quarrel.  He  responded  to  my  greeting  with  civil- 
ity, although  I  fancied  that  he  was  somewhat  em- 
barrassed by  the  recollection  of  his  former  visit. 
Madame  Zotof  did  not  give  him  time  or  oppor- 
tunity to  speak,  but  commenced  her  attack  upon 
him  at  once. 

"  M.  de  Lambert  has  left  Moscow,"  she  ex- 
claimed, "and  they  will  not  tell  me  where  Na- 
jine  is." 

He  started  at  her  first  words,  and  cast  a  quick 
glance  of  interrogation  at  me. 

"  Is  it  true  that  M.  de  Lambert  has  left  Mos- 
cow?" he  asked  gravely. 

I  bowed  my  head.  "  He  obeyed  the  order  of 
his  Majesty  the  Czar,"  I  replied  with  composure. 

"And  my  niece  has  gone  with  him?"  Zotof 
exclaimed.  "  I  assume  this,  because  I  have 
learned  that  you  were  all  together  at  a  late  hour 
last  night." 

Madame  interrupted  him  with  a  storm  of  abuse, 


MADAME  ZOTOF.  333 

directed  against  him  for  his  stupidity,  and  against 
her  niece,  whom  she  did  not  spare,  putting  no 
curb  upon  her  shrewish  tongue,  and  astonishing 
even  her  husband,  who  stood  staring  at  her  as  if 
her  mood  passed  his  slow  comprehension.  But 
my  wife  checked  her  with  a  gesture  of  disdain. 

"  Have  done,  madame !  "  she  said  in  a  tone 
of  authority.  "  Your  language  is  an  injury  to 
your  niece.  Najine  did  indeed  leave  Moscow 
with  this  Frenchman,  whom  you  detest,  and  she 
was  attended  by  her  woman;  but  she  left  it  as 
the  wedded  wife  of  Guillaume  de  Lambert." 

"  His  wife  !  "  screamed  madame,  furiously.  "  I 
do  not  believe  it ;  it  is  false !  " 

Zenai'de  made  her  a  curtsy.  "  I  thank  you,  ma- 
dame," she  said  mockingly;  "your  courtesy  to 
me  passes  all  reason.  You  intrude  upon  me  at 
most  unseemly  hours;  you  search  my  house ;  you 
insult  my  hospitality,  and  now  accuse  me  of  false- 
hood !  I  am  overwhelmed  with  your  kindness." 

Zotof  turned  to  me.  I  think,  for  the  moment, 
he  was  too  astonished  to  resent  my  share  in  the 
affair  as  intensely  as  did  his  wife. 

"  My  niece  wedded  to  M.  de  Lambert ! "  he 
exclaimed;  "where,  and  at  what  hour?" 

"  In  the  Cathedral  of  the  Assumption,  mon- 
sieur," I  replied  courteously,  "past  midnight,  and 
in  my  presence,  so  that  I  can  bear  witness  to  the 
ceremony." 

He  crimsoned  with  rage.     "  This  passes  my  en- 


334  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

durance,  M.  I'Ambassadeur,"  he  exclaimed  furi- 
ously. "  It  shall  be  immediately  reported  to  the 
czar.  My  niece  shall  be  brought  back  to  Mos- 
cow, and  M.  de  Lambert  shall  answer  for  this ! 
You  presume  too  far  upon  the  forbearance  of  the 
Russians.  We  have  endured  much,  but  this  ex- 
ceeds all.  My  niece  will  find  that  this  marriage 
avails  nothing." 

I  looked  from  one  to  the  other  with  unruffled 
composure,  finding  it  difficult  to  suppress  a  smile 
when  I  saw  madame's  furious  face. 

"  Come,  monsieur  and  madame,"  I  said  persua- 
sively, "  we  were  all  younger  once,  and  we  all  know 
that  love  plays  strange  tricks.  Would  it  not  be 
better  to  forget  and  forgive?  The  deed  is  done; 
M.  de  Lambert  and  Najine  are  man  and  wife  in 
the  eyes  of  the  church,  and  it  is  not  for  you  or  me 
to  bind  or  loose  those  whom  the  church  has  united. 
They  are  on  their  way  to  Versailles  —  see !  the 
day  has  dawned  —  the  sun  has  risen  on  their  mar- 
ried life;  of  what  avail  is  violence?  If  you  drag 
them  back  to  Moscow  and  excite  the  czar  against 
M.  de  Lambert,  it  will  indeed  bring  wretchedness, 
but  what  else?  I  know  mademoiselle —  I  beg  her 
pardon  —  Madame  de  Lambert,  and  neither  prison 
nor  death  will  prevail  against  her  loyal  and  devoted 
spirit —  and  she  is  his  wife  !  " 

I  think  that  my  words  had  some  effect  upon  M. 
Zotof,  for  he  heard  me  to  the  end,  but  to  madame 
they  were  sown  upon  the  wind.  Before  I  had 


MADAME  ZOTOF. 


335 


finished  she  had  her  spouse  by  the  arm  and  was 
drawing  him  toward  the  door;  but  she  stopped 
long  enough  to  fling  another  bitter  reproach  at  me, 
and  never  looked  more  perfectly  the  shrew  than  at 
that  moment. 

"  It  is  well  for  you  to  use  fine  words  now,  M. 
1'Ambassadeur,"  she  exclaimed,  "  when  you  have 
so  far  succeeded  ;  but  the  time  will  come  when  you 
will  regret  this  interference  —  the  czar  shall  know 
the  truth." 

"  You  forget,  madame,"  I  retorted  calmly,  "  that 
I  am  not  a  subject  of  the  czar." 

But  she  took  no  further  notice  of  me,  checking 
her  husband  as  he  was  about  to  reply. 

"  Waste  no  more  time,  Zotof,"  she  exclaimed 
in  a  shrill  tone ;  "  there  are  fleet  horses  yet  in 
Moscow.  You  are  a  man,  and  can  pursue  this  run- 
away." 

And  she  hurried  him  from  the  room  and  from 
the  house.  We  could  hear  her  belaboring  him 
with  her  sharp  tongue  all  the  way  down  the  stairs, 
and  even  in  the  street  below  the  windows.  Zenafde 
stood  watching  them  as  they  departed,  and  turned 
to  me  with  anxiety  on  her  face. 

"  Do  you  think  there  is  danger  of  their  overtak- 
ing M.  de  Lambert  ?  "  she  asked. 

I  shook  my  head.  "  It  is  not  probable  ;  he  has 
the  advantage  of  a  fair  start,  and  all  is  arranged 
for  the  relays  of  horses." 

"  Why  did  you  tell  them  that  he  was  going  to 


336  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

Versailles?"  she  went  on,  still  troubled;  "I 
thought  to  hear  you  mislead  them." 

"And  so  I  did,"  I  replied,  smiling;  "they  go, 
indeed,  to  Versailles,  but  by  a  circuitous  route. 
Mentchikof  and  I  planned  it  all.  They  go  direct 
to  Poland,  and  so  through  Sweden  to  France." 

"  And  they  will  pursue  on  the  straight  road  to 
France?"  exclaimed  Z6nalde,  with  relief. 

"  Exactly,  madame,"  I  replied  gently,  "  and 
meanwhile  much  time  is  lost,  for  they  will  quarrel 
twenty  times  upon  the  way  to  the  czar." 

My  wife  laughed  softly.  "  Poor  M.  Zotof,"  she 
exclaimed,  "  I  find  it  in  my  heart  to  pity  him. 
Madame  his  wife  will  never  forgive  him  for  his 
negligence  ;  and  what  torture  to  live  with  that 
woman's  tongue !  " 


CHAPTER    XXVII. 

THE  CZAR'S  EQUERRY. 

I  WAS  resting  after  my  night  of  continued  effort 
and  anxiety  when  there  was  another  interruption. 
Pierrot  came  to  me  with  a  troubled  face,  and  an- 
nounced the  arrival  of  a  messenger  from  the  czar. 

"  He  will  take  no  gainsaying,  monsieur,"  he 
said ;  "  I  made  a  hundred  excuses,  but  he  must 
see  your  Excellency  at  once." 

I  rose  from  my  couch  with  a  sigh,  and  Pierrot 
helped  me  to  dress. 

"  Imperial  messengers  are  unfortunately  always 
importunate,"  I  remarked  wearily ;  "  and  I  have 
no  doubt  that  this  fellow  has  pressing  business,"  I 
added  with  a  smile. 

Pierrot's  face  changed  a  little,  too,  and  I  think 
he  enjoyed  the  situation. 

"  They  had  a  fair  start,  monsieur,"  he  remarked 
quietly,  "  and  M.  de  Lambert  knows  how  to  carry 
matters  through." 

I  laughed.  "  In  love  affairs  he  is  at  least  con- 
spicuously successful,"  I  said,  "  and  he  knows  how 
to  chastise  a  villain.  How  fared  it  with  M.  Apraxin 
when  you  reached  Mentchikof's  house?" 


338  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

"He  had  recovered  enough  to  curse  us  and 
groan,  monsieur,"  Pierrot  replied  gravely  ;  "  he 
was  badly  bruised,  I  think,  but  he  was  also 
furious." 

"  Not  more  so  than  any  man  would  have  been 
in  like  case,"  I  said  ;  "  he  had  been  knocked  about 
until  there  was  but  little  breath  left  in  him.  A 
miserable  knave  he  is,  too,  and  deserved  it  all.  By 
the  way,  Pierrot,"  I  added  with  a  sudden  resolu- 
tion, "where  is  Prince  Dolgoruky's  man  Tikhon? 
I  had  forgotten  him." 

"  I  have  him  yet,  monsieur,"  Pierrot  replied, 
with  his  usual  imperturbable  calm ;  "  he  is  below, 
in  the  ironed  room,  and  I  have  seen  to  his 
comfort." 

I  laughed  a  little.  "  The  rascal  deserved  punish- 
ment," I  said ;  "  but  it  seems  to  me  that  he  has  re- 
ceived a  fair  portion.  You  must  let  him  go,  Pierrot ; 
he  can  do  no  harm  now,  and  a  longer  detention  will 
only  increase  the  ill-will  of  the  prince  his  master, 
and  I  have  enough  of  that  already,  without  going 
on  to  accumulate  it." 

"I  will  let  him  go  immediately,  M.  leVicomte," 
Pierrot  replied  quietly;  "  but  I  think  he  richly 
merited  all  -he  has  received  and  more.  He  is  but  a 
spy  and  a  coward,  in  any  case." 

"  We  must  show  mercy  if  we  expect  it,  Pierrot," 
I  said  gravely,  "  and  Tikhon  will  surely  reap  his 
own  reward.  A  man  who  has  no  higher  aim  than 
to  be  another's  spy  and  tale-bearer  and  hired  assas- 


THE    CZAR'S  EQUERRY.  339 

sin  soon  finds  his  compensation.  If  he  does  not 
die  by  a  pistol-shot  or  a  knife-thrust,  he  will  pres- 
ently get  his  head  into  a  halter ;  therefore  let  him 
go  with  a  light  heart." 

My  toilet  being  now  accomplished,  I  left  my 
bedroom,  and,  walking  leisurely  through  the  ante- 
rooms, entered  the  salon,  where  the  imperial  mes- 
senger awaited  me  with  great  impatience.  He  was 
a  young  man  by  the  name  of  Shein,  a  relative  of  the 
Boyar  Shein,  whom  I  knew  to  be  close  to  the  per- 
son of  the  czar;  he  was  chafing  under  the  delay 
which  on  my  part  was  intentional.  He  greeted  me 
with  the  respect  due  to  my  person,  but  came  im- 
mediately to  the  substance  of  his  errand. 

"  M.  de  Brousson,"  he  said,  with  an  air  of  im- 
portance, "  I  am  charged  with  a  message  from  his 
imperial  Majesty  the  Czar,  bidding  M.  de  Lambert, 
a  gentleman  of  your  suite,  to  be  present  at  the 
palace  this  morning  by  ten  o'clock  to  receive  cer- 
tain instructions  and  commands  from  his  Majesty." 

I  listened  with  a  composure  that  ruffled  the 
young  fellow,  who  was  elated  with  the  importance 
of  his  errand.  Without  immediately  replying,  I 
seated  myself  in  the  great  chair  by  the  hearth,  and, 
looking  around  at  him,  allowed  him  to  see  that  I 
was  so  little  disturbed  by  the  order  that  I  could 
take  time  to  reflect  upon  my  reply. 

"Your  master  should  have  sent  this  message 
twelve  hours  ago,"  I  remarked  calmly.  "  His 
Majesty  had  impressed  upon  me  his  desire  that 


340  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

M.  de  Lambert  should  leave  Moscow,  and,  acting 
solely  from  deference  to  his  wishes,  I  endeavored 
to  fulfil  his  commands  to  the  letter;  therefore 
this  order  is  unhappily  too  tardy  for  me  to 
respond  to  it  with  the  alacrity  that  I  should 
desire  to  show  to  any  command  of  the  czar." 

Shein  looked  at  me  anxiously.  "  Do  you  mean, 
M.  le  Vicomte,  that  the  bird  has  flown?"  he  asked 
eagerly. 

"  I  should  scarcely  refer  to  M.  de  Lambert  in 
that  language,"  I  replied,  smiling;  "  but  I  do  mean 
that  he  left  Moscow  in  obedience  to  the  czar's 
wishes." 

The  young  man  looked  thoroughly  nonplussed 
and  badly  frightened.  He  saw  that  they  had  been 
outwitted,  and  saw  too,  probably,  the  inevitable 
consequences.  Knowing  so  well  Peter's  violent 
nature,  I  remarked  Shein's  open  consternation 
with  extreme  amusement. 

"  He  must  come  back  immediately,"  he  exclaimed, 
assuming  an  air  of  tremendous  importance;  "he 
can  be  overtaken.  By  which  road  did  he  travel, 
monsieur?  It  behooves  me  to  know,  that  I  may 
obey  the  czar's  orders,  which  are  absolutely 
imperative  and  permit  no  evasion." 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders,  aware  that  my 
unshaken  composure  was  exasperating  the  boy 
beyond  endurance. 

"  M.  de  Lambert  is  on  the  road  to  Versailles," 
I  replied,  telling  him  half  the  truth,  and  suppress- 


THE    CZAR'S  EQUERRY.  341 

ing  the  other  half  with  keen  enjoyment  of  the 
probable  bewilderment  of  the  pursuers.  "  You 
had  best  return  to  the  czar,  M.  Shein,"  I  added 
calmly,  "  for  fuller  instructions.  Pursuit  at  this 
late  hour  would  be  fruitless  and  foolish ;  I  do  not 
believe  that  his  Majesty  would  authorize  it." 

The  boy  bit  his  lip,  and  frowned  at  me  with 
a  perplexed  countenance.  He  was  not  entirely 
convinced  that  I  spoke  the  truth,  and  scarcely 
knew  what  course  to  pursue.  It  was  evident  that 
he  scarcely  dared  to  return  to  the  czar  with  empty 
hands,  and  he  fretted  under  my  cool  and  smiling 
glance.  I  was  amused  even  while  I  felt  it  cruel  to 
torment  an  inexperienced  youth ;  he  stood  in  the 
middle  of  the  room,  fingering  the  hilt  of  his  sword 
and  moving  uneasily. 

"Take  my  advice,  M.  Shein,"  I  said  gravely: 
"  return  to  his  Majesty  for  instructions.  The  loss 
of  an  hour  can  harm  you  but  little,  and  many  a 
wiser  man  has  met  with  disaster  by  running  too 
wildly  upon  a  thankless  errand.  The  royal  mind 
is  large,  and  grasps  so  many  schemes  that  there  is 
constant  shifting;  the  wind  may  set  in  another 
quarter  by  the  time  that  you  return  from  a  fruitless 
errand,  and  you  will  earn  no  thanks.  A  wise  man 
trims  his  sails  to  the  breeze ;  take  the  advice  of  one 
who  has  piloted  through  many  a  stormy  sea  at 
court:  neither  neglect  your  instructions  nor  exceed 
them,  —  either  course  is  dangerous.  You  are  a 
young  man,  M.  Shein,  be  warned." 


342  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

He  shot  a  glance  at  me  of  mingled  anger  and 
doubt,  and  it  was  manifest  that  he  began  to  waver 
in  his  original  determination.  There  was  no  one 
more  uncertain  in  temper  than  Peter,  and  the 
young  man  saw  evil  results  on  either  hand.  How- 
ever, after  a  little  hesitation  he  evidently  decided 
that  nothing  was  gained  by  delay  and  turned  to 
leave  the  room,  but  on  reaching  the  door,  paused 
suddenly  and  addressed  me. 

"  I  was  also  instructed,  M.  1'Ambassadeur,"  he 
said,  "to  "inquire  if  Najine  Zotof  was  still  under 
Madame  de  Brousson's  protection.  " 

I  shook  my  head,  smiling  at  the  thought  of  my 
late  interview  with  Madame  Zotof. 

"  Mademoiselle  is  no  longer  with  us,"  I  replied 
with  frankness  ;  "  she  left  us  at  a  late  hour  last 
night." 

"  And  is  with  her  guardians  ? "  he  asked  per- 
sistently. 

"  You  must  ask  Madame  Zotof,"  I  said  calmly. 

He  flushed  with  anger  at  my  indifference  to  his 
importance. 

"  I  ask  for  his  imperial  Majesty,"  he  declared 
haughtily. 

But  I  only  continued  to  regard  him  with  a 
smile.  "  I  understand  that,  M.  Shein,"  I  replied 
composedly,  "  but  I  cannot  perform  miracles  even 
for  the  czar.  I  cannot  produce  mademoiselle 
when  she  is  not  with  us;  neither  can  I  tell  you 
where  she  may  be  at  this  moment." 


THE   CZAR'S  EQUERRY.  343 

He  had  his  hand  upon  the  door,  but  made  me 
an  obeisance. 

"  I  have  discharged  my  errand,  your  Excel- 
lency," he  said  gravely,  "  and  shall  return  to  the 
czar  and  report  the  result  of  my  endeavors." 

"  You  will  do  well  to  do  so  before  going  on  a 
thankless  errand,  monsieur,"  I  replied  cheerfully. 

"  I  am  not  sure  of  the  wisdom  of  that,  M. 
1'Ambassadeur,"  he  retorted  tartly ;  "  I  only  trust 
that  it  may  not  be  my  painful  duty  to  return  here 
shortly  with  more  stringent  orders." 

There  was  a  veiled  threat  in  his  words  and  look, 
and  I  rose  from  my  chair. 

"  You  are  young,  M.  Shein,"  I  said  haughtily, 
"  therefore  I  will  treat  you  with  forbearance ; 
but  you  forget  that  you  address  a  marshal  of 
France." 

"And  you  forget  also,  M.  1'Ambassadeur,"  he 
replied,  "  that  I  am  the  messenger  of  his  Majesty 
the  Czar  of  all  the  Russias." 

"On  the  contrary,  I  remember,  young  sir,"  I 
said  curtly,  "  else  I  should  scarcely  have  listened 
with  such  patience  to  your  questions,  which  were 
at  once  fruitless  and  impertinent. " 

The  young  fellow  flushed  deeply,  and  I  was 
half  sorry  that  his  arrogance  had  merited  such  a 
rebuke,  for  I  saw  that  he  was  burning  for  that 
revenge  which  he  could  not  obtain  from  my  years 
and  my  rank. 

"You  have  the   advantage  of  me,    M.    le  Vi- 


344  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

comte,"  he  said  gravely;  "you  rejoice  in  personal 
impunity." 

"Pshaw!"  I  replied  with  more  good-humor, 
"you  should  respect  my  years,  M.  Shein.  Go 
upon  your  errand,  and  remember  that  young  men 
must  endure  something  before  they  learn  the  les- 
sons of  life." 

But  my  forbearance  did  not  restore  his  good- 
humor,  and  he  withdrew  with  a  flushed  and  angry 
face,  which,  however,  only  amused  me,  for  he 
was,  after  all,  a  harmless  enough  young  man,  and 
merely  elated  with  the  importance  of  his  errand 
and  the  imperial  confidence;  for  those  close  about 
the  person  of  the  czar  felt  for  him  an  almost  ex- 
aggerated reverence  and  affection. 

After  Shein  left  me,  I  sat  for  some  time  reflect- 
ing on  the  probabilities  of  M.  de  Lambert  mak- 
ing good  his  escape ;  the  chances  were  all  in  his 
favor.  It  was  true  that  he  had  only  a  few  hours' 
advantage,  for  I  knew  that  the  Zotofs  would  lose 
no  time,  but  I  had  taken  pains  to  mislead  them, 
and  they  would  probably  start  upon  the  road  to 
Versailles,  while  M.  de  Lambert  and  his  bride 
were  travelling  rapidly  to  Poland,  and  he  had  the 
additional  advantage  of  having  his  passports  on 
his  person.  What  had  been  intended  as  an  in- 
sult would  probably  be  an  assistance :  such  are 
the  happy  accidents  of  fate.  I  had  arranged  that 
a  message  should  be  sent  to  me  at  the  first  stop 
for  a  change  of  horses,  and  while  I  was  thinking 


THE   CZAR'S  EQUERRY.  345 

of  the  matter,  Pierrot  brought  me  word  that  the 
men  had  arrived  with  a  message  from  M.  de  Lam- 
bert. They  had  reached  the  first  post  in  safety 
and  without  pursuit;  so  far  all  was  well.  The 
messenger  had  seen  them  start  out  with  fresh 
horses  before  leaving  to  bring  the  tidings;  they 
had  therefore  the  advantage  of  several  hours,  and 
would  probably  outstrip  all  pursuit.  These  were 
good  tidings,  and  I  felt  that  I  had  cause  to  rejoice, 
but  knew  that  I  should  presently  have  a  second 
message  from  the  czar  which  might  be  of  quite 
another  character.  In  the  mean  time  I  received 
word  from  Mentchikof  that  he  desired  to  see  me, 
and,  knowing  that  this  might  mean  a  fresh  com- 
plication, I  lost  no  time  in  obeying,  rather  glad  of 
the  opportunity  to  be  rid  of  his  signet  ring,  which 
having  served  its  turn  was  becoming  a  burden  to 
me.  It  was  a  bad  day  when  I  went  out,  and,  the 
wind  striking  my  face,  I  lowered  my  head  and 
hurried  on  unattended.  The  streets  were  slip- 
pery, and  more  than  once  I  nearly  lost  my  foot- 
ing, but,  at  last  reaching  Mentchikof's  palace,  I 
was  glad  to  find  the  warmth  and  glow  of  the  fire 
in  the  great  hall.  Leaving  my  cloak  below,  I 
went  up  the  stairs  and  was  at  once  admitted  to 
the  presence  of  the  favorite. 


CHAPTER   XXVIII. 

A   SON   OF  MISFORTUNE. 

MENTCHIKOF  was  standing  in  the  center  of  the 
great  salon  when  I  entered,  and  I  was,  at  the 
moment,  impressed  by  the  conspicuous  figure, 
and  afterwards  mentally  contrasted  it  with  that 
other  his  master.  Peter's  favorite  was  one  of 
those  handsome  men  who  attach  great  importance 
to  their  dress;  and  this  morning  he  was  arrayed 
for  the  court  and  was  a  gorgeous  picture,  from 
his  white  silk  stockings  and  white  satin  breeches 
and  lace-trimmed  brocaded  waistcoat  to  his  coat 
of  violet  velvet.  Peter  had  created  several  orders, 
and  half  a  dozen  glittered  on  Mentchikof's  breast, 
with  the  blue  ribbon  of  Saint  Andrew.  His  full 
white  peruke  was  curled  and  perfumed,  and  his 
hands  covered  with  splendid  rings;  he  was  the 
perfect  picture  of  a  courtier,  and  his  naturally 
charming  manners  fitted  him  for  the  place  that  he 
held,  and  was  to  hold  in  the  future,  as  the  per- 
sonal representative  of  the  czar;  although  the 
spoiled  favorite  of  fortune,  he  was  also  keen, 
brilliant,  profoundly  ambitious.  If  the  scandal- 
ous rumors  of  the  court  were  true,  and  he  was 
indeed  the  son  of  a  pastry-cook,  he  had  reason  to 


A   SON  OF  MISFORTUNE.  347 

be  proud  of  the  singular  ability  which  had  enabled 
him  to  reach  the  pinnacle  of  success.  He  met 
me  with  cordiality,  embracing  me  three  times,  in 
the  Russian  fashion. 

"  So  far  all  goes  well,  M.  le  Marechal,"  he  said, 
smiling;  "the  bird  has  safely  flown,  and  I  believe 
will  evade  pursuit,  although  old  Madame  Zotof 
and  her  corpulent  spouse  are  upon  the  track,  but 
happily  upon  the  wrong  track.  As  for  his  Maj- 
esty, you  and  I  will  presently  have  a  bad  quarter 
of  an  hour,  but  I  think  Najine's  appeal  for  M.  de 
Lambert  mortified  the  imperial  vanity  so  much 
that  he  is  likely  to  restrain  his  ardor." 

"  Nevertheless,  your  Excellency,  I  have  but  just 
rid  myself  of  the  equerry  Shein,  who  was  sent  by 
his  imperial  Majesty  to  my  quarters  to  arrest  M. 
de  Lambert  and  also,  I  fancy,  mademoiselle." 

"Ah,  sets  the  wind  in  that  quarter?  "  Mentchi- 
kof  exclaimed;  "then,  as  I  anticipated,  he  repented 
very  quickly  of  his  lenity.  Prince  Dolgoruky  and 
a  dozen  more  are  probably  at  work ;  yet,  neverthe- 
less, M.  1'Ambassadeur,  ours  was  a  coup  d'tiat, 
for  with  mademoiselle  safely  out  of  the  country 
he  is  likely  to  forget  her.  We  have  little  to  fear, 
for  kings  can  afford  to  be  fickle. " 

"His  Majesty  does  not  so  impress  me,"  I  re- 
plied thoughtfully;  "his  is  a  mighty  personality, 
and  I  have  sometimes  been  amazed  that  Najine 
should  prefer  a  young  French  soldier  to  Peter 
Alexeivitch." 


348  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

Mentchikof  smiled  that  slow,  brilliant  smile 
that  made  his  dark  eyes  light  up  and  showed  his 
white  teeth. 

"Women  are  strange  creatures,  M.  1'Ambassa- 
deur,"  he  said  slowly;  "they  are  governed  largely 
by  impulse,  and  ruin  their  own  best-laid  schemes 
by  some  outburst  of  feeling.  Najine  Zotof  saw 
before  her,  not  Peter  as  you  and  I  see  him,  — a 
great  man,  a  soldier,  a  statesman,  a  reformer ;  she 
saw  only  the  cold-hearted  husband  of  Eudoxia 
Lopukhin,  the  lover  of  Anna  Mons. " 

I  started;  how  had  the  man  read  Najine's  heart 
so  perfectly?  Najine,  who  would  not  have  spoken 
to  him  of  any  feeling  of  hers,  who  looked  upon 
Catherine  Shavronsky  as  a  bold  woman  of  the 
court !  How  far  those  keen  eyes  of  his  must  have 
seen  into  the  young  girl's  mind;  how  quick  must 
be  his  understanding  to  recognize,  at  a  glance, 
her  repugnance  to  the  czar's  violence  and  his  sen- 
suality! I  replied  to  him,  however,  without  be- 
traying my  surprise  at  his  intuition. 

"Women  like  mademoiselle  are  governed  by 
their  hearts,  I  think,  monsieur,"  I  remarked;  "she 
loved  Guillaume  de  Lambert,  and  a  loyal,  simple 
nature  like  hers  is  not  to  be  corrupted  even  by 
the  dazzling  temptations  of  a  throne.  There  are 
other  women  who  are  neither  so  simple  nor  so 
devoted." 

Mentchikof  laughed.  "You  mean  especially 
Catherine  Shavronsky,"  he  said  frankly;  "truly, 


A   SOW  OF  MISFORTUNE.  349 

monsieur,  she  is  made  for  the  hour.  A  remark- 
able woman,"  he  added  thoughtfully;  "of  the 
humblest  origin  and  yet  moulded  on  grand  out- 
lines. She  is  ambitious,  but  she  is  generous;  she 
is  beautiful,  but  also  .strong-minded  —  if  the  czar 
—  well,  M.  le  Vicomte,  we  will  not  forecast  the 
future  —  yet  look  at  the  state  of  the  empire.  The 
czar  has  divorced  his  wife,  and  there  is  only  the 
Czarevitch  Alexis,  a  boy  of  thirteen,  —  and  be- 
tween you  and  me,  M.  1'Ambassadeur,  not  a  hope- 
ful boy;  morose,  bigoted,  small-minded,  like  his 
mother,  — and  next  in  succession  are  the  children 
of  the  late  czar  Ivan,  himself  an  imbecile.  In 
case  of  his  Majesty's  death,  — which  the  saints  de- 
lay! —  what  would  it  be  to  Russia  to  have  a  czarina 
of  intellect  and  force  and  several  children  in  the 
direct  line  of  succession?  No  one  sees  this  more 
plainly  than  Peter  himself;  and  if  —  " 

Mentchikof  paused  and  glanced  at  me  obliquely. 
I  smiled  without  replying.  I  understood  him,  but 
my  mind  reverted  to  the  stories  of  the  days  of  the 
great  Henry,  when  Gabrielle  d'Estrees  quarrelled 
with  the  Due  de  Sully  because  her  son  could  not 
be  baptized  as  a  child  of  France,  and  Henry  then 
was  without  legitimate  heirs,  and  I  recollected 
the  "fat  bankeress  of  Florence,"  and  the  birth  of 
Louis  XIII.  After  all,  the  child  of  /the  despised 
queen  had  reigned  in  France,  and  I  wondered  a 
little  if  they  could  set  aside  the  son  of  Eudoxia. 
My  mind  had  then  no  conception  of  that  frightful 


350  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

tragedy  that  was  to  clear  the  path  to  the  throne 
for  the  child  of  Catherine  Shavronsky.  With 
strange  thoughts  I  drew  Mentchikof's  signet 
from  my  finger,  and  gave  it  to  him  with  an 
acknowledgment  of  my  indebtedness  for  his  ready 
assistance. 

"  I  am,  nevertheless,  glad  to  be  rid  of  the  sig- 
net," I  added,  smiling,  "for  it  has  burned  upon 
my  finger  as  a  symbol  of  responsibility.  With- 
out it  I  should  have  found  it  impossible  to  secure 
a  priest." 

"And  it  will  go  hard  with  the  priest  if  the  czar 
finds  him,"  Mentchikof  said  dryly;  "however,  the 
imperial  displeasure  may  pass  away  when  it  ap- 
pears how  completely  Najine  has  evaded  all  efforts 
to  detain  her." 

I  was  not  so  sanguine  as  he,  for  I  feared  a  pos- 
sible capture  of  the  wedded  lovers  at  the  frontier; 
but  he  was  carried  away  with  the  success  of  his 
diplomacy,  and  foresaw  probably,  too,  the  return 
of  Mademoiselle  Catherine  to  favor.  I  saw  that 
he  had  sent  for  me  mainly  to  rejoice  at  our  appar- 
ent good  fortune,  and  he  did  not  regard  Peter's 
probable  displeasure  now  that  mademoiselle  was 
removed  from  his  sight.  Judging  from  his  relief 
at  her  departure,  I  concluded  that  he  had  attached 
grave  importance  to  the  czar's  passion  for  her, 
dreading  the  influence  of  the  faction  who  sup- 
ported Zotof.  It  was  natural  that  a  man  who  had 
so  long  enjoyed  the  sunshine  of  royal  favor  should 


A   SON  OF  MISFORTUNE.  351 

fear  its  eclipse,  and  he  was  one  to  make  enemies 
who  would  scheme  for  his  overthrow.  From  him 
I  learned  that  Apraxin  was  slowly  recovering  from 
the  effects  of  M.  de  Lambert's  chastisement,  and 
had  been  ordered  into  temporary  exile  at  Archan- 
gel by  the  czar,  which  seemed  to  me  a  light  pun- 
ishment for  the  cowardly  knave;  but,  no  doubt, 
the  Zotofs  had  interceded  for  him. 

At  parting,  I  sent  a  message  of  congratulation 
to  Mademoiselle  Shavronsky,  and  Mentchikof 
laughed. 

"So,"  he  said,  "you  are  wise,  M.  1'Ambassa- 
deur,  and  know  which  way  to  look  for  the  rising 
sun." 

"Nay,"  I  replied  smiling,  "I  but  do  homage  to 
a  beautiful  woman,  monsieur." 

But  I  left  him  still  laughing  at  me  and  in  a 
humor  of  confidence,  seeing  no  doubt  before  his 
mental  vision  success  and  triumph. 

When  I  quitted  the  palace,  I  found  it  still 
storming,  and  the  streets  so  slippery  that  I  made 
my  way  with  care.  I  passed  Zotofs  house,  and 
smiled  a  little  as  I  looked  at  it,  for  its  deserted 
aspect  suggested  the  absence  of  its  inmates,  and  I 
fancied  them  in  hot  pursuit  upon  one  road  while 
the 'fugitives  were  speeding  along  upon  the  other. 
Which  would  progress  the  more  rapidly?  One  on 
the  wings  of  love,  the  other  upon  those  of  wrath ; 
a  common  spectacle  in  life,  and  not  without  a  les- 
son in  it.  So  absorbed  was  I  in  thought  that  on 


352  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

turning  the  sharp  angle  of  the  courtyard  wall,  I 
was  startled  at  coming  suddenly  upon  a  group  of 
men  who  were  standing  about  two  combatants. 
A  street  brawl,  and  I  was  passing,  for  I  saw  that 
one  of  them  was  tipsy,  when  suddenly  I  heard  a 
cry  of  "  Let  him  go,  you  villain !  what  right  have 
you  to  fight  a  Russian  ? "  and  then  a  shout,  "  A 
foreigner  —  a  Swede !  a  Swede !  "  I  stopped  and 
looked  back.  The  stouter  of  the  two  wrestlers 
had  the  other,  who  was  intoxicated,  down  in  the 
mud;  but  the  exertion  had  torn  off  the  victor's  hat 
and  cloak  and  I  recognized  Gustavus  Lenk.  As 
I  did  so,  the  Russians  set  upon  him  and  dragged 
him  off  his  adversary. 

"A  Swede,  I  tell  you! "  cried  one  fellow  loudly, 
in  answer  to  a  doubt. 

"He  is  no  Russian,  at  least,"  replied  another, 
"and  has  no  business  to  whip  an  honest  man." 

"Take  him  to  the  guard,"  cried  a  third;  and 
they  fell  upon  him  with  violence. 

They  were  common  brawlers  and  ignorant  men, 
and  I  saw  my  opportunity  to  requite  the  spy's 
kindness  and  save  him  from  a  fate  that  would 
be  inevitable  if  he  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
authorities. 

"  Stand  back ! "  I  exclaimed  in  a  stern  voice, 
stepping  in  their  midst  and  laying  my  hand  on 
the  Swede;  "you  will  have  to  account  for  this 
brawl.  This  man  belongs  to  my  suite." 

My  appearance  and  mariner  were  sufficient  to 


A  SON  OF  MISFORTUNE.  353 

dash  their  impudence,  but  they  were  sullen  and 
inclined  to  stand  their  ground. 

"  Who  are  you  ? "  one  of  the  leaders  asked 
boldly;  "this  fellow  has  fought  an  honest  man, 
and  ought  to  go  to  the  provost." 

"I  will  examine  into  this  matter,  sirrah,"  I 
retorted  sharply ;  "  it  is  not  for  you  to  argue  with 
your  betters. " 

"He  shall  not  go,"  the  knave  persisted,  hold- 
ing the  Swede,  "until  I  know  who  you  are  who 
dare  to  take  a  man  from  the  officers  ? " 

I  looked  at  him  with  a  mocking  smile..  "Sir 
justice,"  I  said,  "I  am  the  Vicomte  de  Brousson, 
a  marshal  of  France. " 

He  let  go  his  hold  on  the  Swede  and  fell  back 
abashed,  for  he  was  an  ignorant  knave  and  feared 
some  punishment  for  his  audacity;  but  I  was  too 
eager  to  take  advantage  of  my  opportunity  to  get 
the  Swede  safely  away  to  waste  words  upon 
him.  He  muttered  an  apology,  but  I  cut  him 
short. 

"  Learn  the  deference  that  is  due  your  superiors," 
I  said  sharply,  and,  signing  to  Lenk  to  follow  me, 
I  hurried  him  out  of  reach  of  the  crowd. 

"  What  folly  is  this  ? "  I  asked,  as  soon  as  we 
were  out  of  sight ;  "  have  you  not  learned  wisdom 
enough  to  avoid  street  brawls?  " 

"The  fellow  was  tipsy,  M.  le  Vicomte,"  the 
Swede  replied  ruefully,  "and  set  upon  me  about 
some  trifle,  but  I  am  again  indebted  to  you,  for  if 

23 


354  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

I  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  guard,  nothing 
would  have  saved  my  neck. " 

"  Your  neck ! "  I  remarked  dryly ;  "  you  would 
have  tasted  the  joys  of  the  torture-rooms  at  Preo- 
brazhensky,  and  after  this  you  are  not  safe  here 
another  day.  That  knave  let  you  go  because  he 
dared  not  gainsay  me,  but  I  saw  the  ire  in  his 
eyes  and  he  will  be  revenged,  and  the  drunken 
hound  you  whipped  will  be  also,  and  how  can  you 
conceal  your  nationality  ?  " 

"I  was  about  to  leave  the  city,  in  any  case,"  he 
said  thoughtfully,  "  and  I  must  leave  sooner  than 
I  intended,  for,  as  your  Excellency  says,  there  will 
be  no  safety  for  me  in  Moscow. " 

"I  cannot  understand,"  I  said  with  impatience, 
"how  a  man  like  you  can  be  so  easily  betrayed 
into  folly.  A  street  brawl,  and  you  a  secret  agent 
of  Charles  of  Sweden !  I  cannot  do  much  for  you, 
it  is  not  consistent  with  my  honor,  but  I  owe  you 
much  for  M.  de  Lambert's  sake;  therefore  come 
to  my  lodgings,  hide  there  until  nightfall,  and 
then  leave  Moscow.  This  much  I  will  do,  and  no 
more." 

"It  is  enough,  M.  de  Broussoh,"  he  replied 
quietly,  "and  I  thank  you.  You  have  been  twice 
the  means  of  saving  my  life,  and  I  believe  that 
you  know  I  do  not  forget." 

I  glanced  at  his  face  thoughtfully.  "Lenk," 
I  said  gravely  and  kindly,  "you  are  of  too  honest 
stuff  for  your  profession, — you  a  Swedish  spy! 


A   SON  OF  MISFORTUNE.  355 

There  is  no  profession  more  contemptible.  Is 
there  no  higher  service  in  the  gift  of  Charles  of 
Sweden  for  an  honest  man?" 

The  spy's  face  flushed  crimson,  and  his  lips 
quivered. 

"M.  le  Vicomte,"  he  said  slowly,  in  a  tone  of 
deep  emotion,  "to  you  I  owe  much,  and  from  you 
I  forgive  the  taunt,  though  it  is  bitter.  I  am  a 
ruined  man,  and  I  have  an  aged  mother;  —  the 
fortunes  of  our  family  were  destroyed  by  the  mal- 
ice and  deviltry  of  an  enemy,  and  I  was  without 
means  to  keep  my  mother  from  want.  The  king 
offered  money  —  a  large  sum,  enough  to  keep  her 
gray  hairs  from  destitution  —  for  this  service  here. 
M.  de  Brousson,  poverty  is  cruel;  a  man  who  is 
penniless  is  blasted  in  the  world's  regard;  he  is 
without  the  weapons  to  fight  the  battle  of  life;  he 
must  needs  fawn  upon  the  hand  of  power;  he 
must  eat  the  bread  of  humiliation;  he  must  bear 
insults,  curiosity,  misrepresentation,  and  all  the 
world's  contumely.  His  shabby  dress  brings  him 
scorn ;  his  empty  purse  denies  him  bread ;  his 
broken  spirit  falls  far  below  the  effort  that  com- 
mands success.  Such  was  I — and  I  sold  my 
honorable  employment  —  I  laid  down  a  soldier's 
sword  and  took  up  a  spy's  mask  —  to  feed  my 
mother ! " 

There  were  tears  in  the  young  fellow's  eyes,  and 
his  face  from  the  crimson  of  embarrassment  was 
white  with  shame.  I  turned  and  took  his  hand. 


356  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

"  My  boy,"  I  said,  "take  up  the  battle  of  life,  — 
cast  behind  you  your  shame,  forget  the  sting  of 
poverty.  Take  your  sword  and  carve  out  a  new 
future.  To  the  noble  soul  there  is  always  the 
star  of  hope.  Go  to  your  king  and  serve  him 
openly,  and  forget  —  live  down  the  past." 

He  bent  his  head  and  kissed  my  hand,  and  I 
felt  his  hot  tears  upon  it ;  from  my  heart  I  pitied 
him,  and  resolved  that  when  we  parted,  he  should 
have  cause  to  remember  that  Philippe  de  Brous- 
son  was  neither  ungrateful  nor  ungenerous.  More 
than  once  in  my  career  I  have  seen  young  men 
crushed  by  the  cruel  load  of  poverty  that  others 
fought  with  a  better  heart.  We  are  not  all  made 
in  the  same  mould,  happily ;  for  if  we  were,  there 
would  be  too  great  a  press  upon  the  road  to  fame, 
and  the  less  hope  for  individual  success.  The 
trial  that  burns  the  dross  from  one  soul  consumes 
another,  and  not  all  of  us  can  look  fate  in  the 
face  or  laugh  at  destiny. 

The  walk  to  my  quarters  was  concluded  in 
silence,  and  on  reaching  our  destination  I  fortu- 
nately sent  the  Swede  to  the  rear  door,  else  he 
would  have  stumbled  upon  the  guest  whom  I  found 
waiting,  thus  leaping  into  the  teeth  of  another 
danger;  for  when  I  opened  my  door  I  found  within 
the  imperial  equerry,  M.  Shein. 


CHAPTER   XXIX. 

THE  GREATEST  ROMANOFF. 

M.  SKEIN  was  standing  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs, 
and  there  was  an  expression  of  triumph  on  his 
face.  After  all,  he  was  but  a  boy,  and  my  treat- 
ment of  him  had  wounded  his  pride;  doubtless, 
he  rejoiced  at  this  opportunity  to  return  to  the 
charge.  My  own  feeling  at  seeing  him  was  one 
of  relief  that  I  had  sent  the  Swede  to  the  other 
door;  Shein  was  not  keen,  but  was  observant 
enough  to  detect  Lenk's  nationality  in  his  blond 
face. 

"  We  meet  soon  again,  M.  Shein,"  I  remarked 
calmly;  "  I  trust  that  you  have  not  waited  long." 

"  A  quarter  of  an  hour  only,  your  Excellency," 
he  replied  with  an  air  of  importance.  "  His  Ma- 
jesty the  Czar  desires  your  presence  immediately 
at  the  palace." 

"  I  am  at  his  Majesty's  disposal,"  I  said  at  once, 
"  and  will  not  delay  you  a  moment." 

Leaving  him,  I  gave  a  few  hurried  directions  to 
Pierrot  in  regard  to  the  Swede,  and  then,  returning, 
went  without  further  delay  to  the  Kremlin.  I 
knew  well  the  significance  of  the  czar's  summons, 


358  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

and  prepared  myself  for  the  ordeal.  I  was  not 
without  some  doubt  as  to  the  safety  of  M.  de 
Lambert  and  his  bride;  if  by  any  evil  chance 
they  were  overtaken  or  betrayed,  I  could  not 
judge  what  would  be  their  fate.  My  reflections 
were  therefore  of  a  nature  that  did  not  permit  me 
to  converse  with  my  young  companion  or  even 
to  feel  amusement  at  his  evident  triumph.  He 
undoubtedly  believed  that  I  would  have  to  give  a 
clear  account  to  the  czar  for  all  the  facts  that  I 
had  practically  refused  to  give  to  him,  and  rejoiced 
thereat.  When  we  reached  the  palace,  he  con- 
ducted me  to  an  ante-room  off  the  czar's  private 
apartments,  where  he  left  me  to  announce  my  ar- 
rival. In  a  few  moments  I  was  admitted  to  Peter's 
presence,  and  found  him  sitting  in  a  large  chair  by 
the  fire.  There  were  one  or  two  attendants  in  the 
room,  but  he  dismissed  them  at  my  entrance.  He 
was  wearing  the  dress  of  a  common  sailor,  and  his 
shirt  was  unbuttoned  at  the  top  and  without  a 
collar;  he  had  laid  aside  his  peruke,  and  his  dark 
hair  was  ruffled  as  I  had  often  seen  it  in  his  stormy 
moods.  In  an  instant  I  contrasted  him  with  Ment- 
chikof,  in  his  splendid  dress;  but  the  czar's  huge 
figure  had  a  dignity  of  its  own,  which  no  garb 
could  disguise ;  there  was  something  in  his  per- 
sonality which  was  profoundly  impressive.  I  ad- 
vanced within  a  few  feet  of  him,  and,  making  my 
salutation,  apologized  for  my  appearance,  for  my 
boots  were  splashed  from  the  miry  streets. 


THE    GREATEST  ROMANOFF.  359 

"  I  crave  your  Majesty's  indulgence,"  I  said, 
"  but  I  have  been  out  the  greater  part  of  the  morn- 
ing, and  the  weather  is  intolerable." 

"  You  are  a  Frenchman,  M.  1'Ambassadeur," 
Peter  replied,  "  and  you  are  too  dainty  for  the 
storms  of  the  north.  However,  you  have  been 
active,  it  seems,  or  else  I  am  grossly  misinformed. 
I  sent  to  your  lodgings  for  M.  de  Lambert,  and 
learn  that  you  have  hurried  him  from  Moscow;  is 
this  true?" 

"  Your  Majesty  was  urgent  about  his  depar- 
ture," I  replied  calmly,  "  and  it  was  incumbent 
upon  me  to  comply ;  therefore  I  sent  him  to  Ver- 
sailles at  once." 

The  czar  was  leaning  his  face  upon  his  hand  so 
that  it  was  shaded  from  my  observation,  and  I 
could  not  read  his  expression. 

"  This  sounds  well,  M.  le  Vicomte,"  he  said 
gravely ;  "  but,  after  all,  were  you  not  endeavoring 
rather  to  defy  me  than  to  obey  my  wishes  ?  And 
where  is  Najine?  " 

Was  it  possible  that  the  Zotofs  had  not  applied 
to  him  for  assistance?  I  began  to  feel  my  way 
cautiously. 

"  At  this  moment,  your  Majesty,  I  do  not  know 
where  she  is,"  I  replied. 

He  laughed  unpleasantly. 

"  Words,  M.  1'Ambassadeur,"  he  said,  still  shad- 
ing his  face.  "  Not  many  hours  since  Madame 
Zotof  came  to  me  for  help  to  recover  her  run- 


360  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER, 

away  niece,  and  you  claim  —  I  assume  —  to  know 
nothing  of  this?" 

"  Nay,  your  Majesty,"  I  returned  boldly,  "  that 
I  do  not  claim.  Mademoiselle  Zotof  had  no  great 
reason  to  love  her  aunt,  and  —  " 

He  interrupted  me  with  an  impatient  gesture. 
"  You  need  not  tell  me  that  she  loves  M.  de 
Lambert,"  he  said  harshly,  "  for  she  told  us  all 
that  herself.  Her  aunt  charges  her  with  having 
gone  away  with  the  Frenchman;  is  it  true,  M.  le 
Marshal?" 

"  It  is  true,"  I  rejoined  quietly;  "  failing  to  obtain 
her  uncle's  consent,  she  went  without  it." 

"  And  also  without  the  ceremony  of  marriage, 
her  aunt  fears,"  he  said  slowly. 

"  Madame  Zotof  is  cruel,"  I  exclaimed ;  "  she 
knows  better !  " 

"  Ah !  "  he  ejaculated  in  a  fierce  tone,  "  she  was 
married  —  where?  " 

"  In  the  Cathedral  of  the  Assumption,"  I 
answered. 

He  let  his  hand  fall  heavily  upon  the  arm  of 
his  chair,  and  I  saw  his  face  plainly,  for  the  first 
time.  It  was  twitching  with  that  unfortunate  con- 
vulsion that  distorted  his  features,  making  his  eyes 
horrible. 

"  By  a  priest  of  my  church?  "  he  asked  sharply. 

I  bowed  my  head  in  assent,  beginning  to  under- 
stand his  mood  and  see  the  dangers  of  it. 

"What  priest  of  mine  dared  to  perform  that 


THE   GREATEST  ROMANOFF.  361 

ceremony  without  my  consent?  "  he  cried  passion- 
ately ;  and  I  saw  that  his  violent  mood  was  threat- 
ening to  overwhelm  him,  yet  I  regarded  him  with 
composure. 

"  I  beg  your  Majesty's  pardon,"  I  said  calmly, 
"  but  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  give  you  the  priest's 
name." 

"  Impossible !  "  he  thundered,  staring  at  me  like 
an  infuriated  lion ;  "  you  forget  that  I  am  the  Czar 
of  Russia." 

I  made  a  profound  obeisance.  "  I  do  not  for- 
get it  even  for  a  moment,  your  Majesty,"  I  replied 
gravely,  "  neither  can  I  forget  my  honor;"  and  I 
folded  my  arms  upon  my  breast  and  gave  him 
look  for  look. 

"  And  you  dream  of  defeating  my  purpose  by 
withholding  the  man's  name?  "  he  exclaimed  with 
passion. 

"  Nay,  sire,"  I  returned  quietly,  "  I  do  not 
measure  my  strength  with  yours,  but  I  will  not 
violate  my  honor  or  my  word." 

"And  yet,"  he  said  fiercely,  "  you  stood  by  and 
saw  Najine  Zotof  marry  against  her  uncle's  wishes 
and  without  my  consent,  with  no  apparent  vio- 
lence to  your  feelings."  His  tone  was  full  of 
contempt. 

"  Your  Majesty,"  I  replied  quietly,  "  I  judged 
that  you  understood  mademoiselle's  sentiments 
after  her  open  declaration  for  M.  de  Lambert,  and 
that  in  giving  her  his  liberty  you  intended  also  to 


362  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

give  her  happiness,  since  that  seems  to  me  the  most 
royal  prerogative  of  kings.  To  be  empowered  by 
the  King  of  kings  to  give  joy  to  His  creatures  ap- 
pears, to  my  poor  mind,  the  one  supreme  gift  of 
His  anointed.  Here  were  two  young  people  who 
loved  each  other,  and  your  Majesty's  benevolence 
liberated  him;  it  was  the  completion  of  your 
Majesty's  generosity  to  unite  them.  I  must  crave 
pardon  if  I  have  fallen  into  any  error." 

The  czar  had  listened  with  unusual  patience,  and 
was  looking  at  me  with  keenly  observant  eyes 
when  I  finished  speaking. 

"  You  are  eloquent,  M.  1'Ambassadeur,"  he  said 
deliberately,  "  but  you  see  only  one  side  of  the 
question.  You  forget  altogether  the  feelings  of 
Zotof  and  his  wife,  their  aims  and  ambitions  for 
their  niece.  Najine  is  a  wayward  girl,  and  should 
have  been  compelled  to  obey  her  natural  guardians. 
It  is  in  my  mind  to  demand  that  the  king  my 
brother  return  her  to  me  as  a  rebel  against  my 
authority." 

There  was  nothing  for  me  to  say,  so  that  I  re- 
mained silent  and  observed  him  closely,  seeing 
that  his  mood  was  changing  and  that  he  was 
swayed  by  deep  emotion.  After  a  moment's 
pause  he  turned  upon  me  abruptly,  his  eyes 
flashing. 

"What  did  she  see  in  that  boy  to  love?"  he 
exclaimed  with  impatience. 

I    smiled    involuntarily.       "That   is   a   difficult 


THE   GREA  TEST  ROMANOFF.  363 

question,  your  Majesty,"  I  remarked.  "  How  can  I 
divine  what  a  young  maid  sees  in  her  lover? 
The  poorest  of  us  is  likely  to  be  loved  by  some 
woman." 

"  All  men  but  the  king !  "  he  cried  passionately, 
rising  from  his  seat  and  striding  back  and  forth 
before  the  fire,  —  "  all  men  but  the  king !  And  he 
must  satisfy  his  soul  with  the  fawning  of  the  poor 
creatures  who  would  mount  upon  his  shoulders; 
must  quench  his  thirst  with  falsehood  and  feed  on 
treachery.  He,  of  all  men,  cannot  find  one  honest 
heart  to  love  him  for  himself;  he,  of  all  men,  must 
live  amidst  deceit  and  flattery,  with  the  poisoner's 
cup  in  his  kitchen  and  the  assassin's  knife  by  his 
pillow.  Yet  all  men  envy  him !  " 

He  laughed  a  discordant  laugh ;  nothing  could 
be  more  passionately  bitter  than  his  voice  and 
manner.  He  paused  and  gazed  at  the  fire,  that 
was  burning  low;  his  great  figure  looming  enor- 
mous in  the  gloomy  room,  and  his  head  bowed ; 
his  breast  was  heaving  with  emotion,  and  his  hands 
were  clenched.  It  was  the  storm  of  a  great  spirit, 
and  I  knew  that  I  saw  the  Romanoff  face  to  face ; 
a  man  with  a  man's  heart,  imbittered  by  his  dis- 
appointment. What  thoughts  must  have  been  in 
his  mind,  —  he,  the  autocrat,  outrivalled  in  a  young 
girl's  heart  by  a  French  soldier ! 

"  All  men  envy  the  king,"  he  went  on  in  a  deep 
voice,  speaking,  it  seemed,  to  himself;  "  but,  by  our 
Lady,  there  is  no  beggar  more  destitute  of  friends, 


364  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

no  beggar  more  thirsty  for  the  truth !  Watched 
by  all  men  —  at  once  their  envy  and  their  dupe ; 
flattered  by  all  —  loved  by  none  !  Failing  to  do 
the  work  of  a  god  upon  earth,  he  must  die  at  last, 
cursed  by  men  and  welcomed  by  devils  as  their 
vicegerent.  Breathing  in  life  the  essence  of  flat- 
tery —  the  greatest  of  men,  the  best  beloved,  the 
most  magnanimous;  cursed,  behind  his  back,  as 
the  chiefest  butcher,  the  most  unjust  of  judges, 
the  oppressor  of  the  poor  and  the  widow !  Ac- 
countable for  all  things  in  the  sight  of  men  and 
of  angels;  and,  after  all,  only  human  —  alone, 
unloved  —  ay !  hated,  feared,  betrayed.  A  king  on 
earth,  a  thief  in  Paradise  !  " 

He  seemed  to  have  forgotten  me.  His  breast 
heaved,  and  his  strong  face  quivered.  Was  this 
indeed  the  hour  of  a  king's  reckoning?  I  watched 
him  with  many  thoughts  crowding  into  my  mind. 
I  saw  how  deeply  he  had  craved  Najine's  love, 
how  much  a  good  woman's  loyal  regard  would 
have  been  to  this  tempestuous  soul.  For  a  time 
he  stood  silent,  his  eyes  upon  the  ground,  and  then, 
suddenly  awakening  from  his  revery,  he  directly 
addressed  me. 

"  M.  1  'Ambassadeur,"  he  said  in  a  scornful  tone, 
"  you  have  the  reputation  of  having  won  a  bride 
at  the  point  of  the  sword  —  advise  me.  Of  what 
effect  would  be  the  separation  of  Najine  from  her 
new-made  bridegroom?  She  is  a  woman;  doubt- 
less she  would  forget  him." 


THE   GREATEST  ROMANOFF.  365 

I  shook  my  head.  "  Nay,  your  Majesty,"  I 
replied,  "  she  is  not  of  such  poor  stuff.  Hers  is  a 
loyal  nature,  pure  and  true.  She  would  not  for- 
get her  husband,  and — " 

"And  what?"  he  asked  quickly,  as  I  paused. 
"  Speak  with  candor,  M.  de  Brousson." 

"  And  she  would  abhor  the  man  who  separated 
them,"  I  concluded  briefly. 

He  started,  and  his  cheek  flushed  darkly.  "  In 
plain  words,  monsieur  would  say  that  she  would 
abhor  me,"  he  exclaimed. 

"  We  do  not  so  speak  to  kings,  your  Majesty," 
I  said  gravely. 

"  No,"  he  replied  harshly,  "  to  kings  all  men  lie. 
I  sometimes  think  that  they  also  lie  when  they 
pray ;  for  if  they  strive  so  hard  to  appear  fair  to 
their  sovereigns  here,  how  much  more  so  at  the 
bar  of  Heaven  !  Pah  !  false  witnesses  and  knaves, 
I  would  give  my  right  hand  for  the  love  of  one 
honest  heart !  " 

"Doubtless,  your  Majesty  has  that  of  many,"  I 
replied  suavely ;  "  and  from  gratitude  is  born  the 
purest  regard." 

"  You  would  suggest  that  I  could  merit  her 
gratitude?"  he  said  in  a  strange  voice;  then  he 
turned  to  me  with  a  gesture  of  passionate  despair. 
"  Man,"  he  cried,  "  I  loved  her !  " 

I  stood  amazed,  and  found  no  words.  I  felt  my- 
self as  awkward  as  the  veriest  boy.  He  had  de- 
clared his  unrequited  passion,  and  yet,  undignified 


366  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

as  it  seemed,  I  had  never  seen  him  so  imperial.  All 
that  was  violent  and  coarse  was  lost  to  sight.  He 
stood  there  in  his  simple  dress,  his  dark  hair  dis- 
ordered, his  face  pale,  and  his  eyes  burning.  It 
was  the  sorrow,  the  isolation,  the  passionate  dis- 
appointment of  a  great  heart;  for  the  Romanoff 
was,  first  of  all,  a  man, —  genuine,  simple,  emo- 
tional. 

"  I  loved  her,"  he  repeated  in  his  deep  voice, 
"  and  she  is  another  man's  wife.  I,  the  czar,  craved 
the  love  of  a  simple  heart,  and  it  is  denied  me. 
But,"  he  added  with  a  sudden  fierce  change,  "  it 
is  not  yet  too  late  to  tear  her  from  her  lover's 
arms ! " 

"  Your  Majesty,"  I  said  slowly,  with  what  com- 
posure I  could  command,  "  it  would  be  a  revenge 
unworthy  of  a  king,  and  most  unworthy  of  you. 
Grief  you  can  bring  to  her,  if  the  saints  permit, 
for  not  even  you  can  defy  heaven.  Earthly  loss 
and  desolation  you  might  achieve  for  her,  but 
rather  than  her  love,  you  would  have  her  hatred. 
Czar  of  the  Russias,  there  is  but  One,  and  He  is 
mightier  than  thou,  the  King  of  kings,  who  alone 
can  dispose  the  heart  of  man  or  woman.  Let  this 
young  girl  go  in  peace  with  her  husband,  and  so 
merit  her  blessing  and  her  prayers,  which  will  be 
richer  to  you  than  the  poor  revenge  of  seeing  her 
broken  in  spirit  and  in  heart,  dreading  your  name 
as  her  greatest  scourge ;  not  a  loyal  subject,  but  a 
slave." 


THE  GREA  TEST  ROMANOFF.       367 

He  was  silent,  and  I  saw  that  he  struggled  with 
himself. 

"  A  man  who  can  conquer  his  own  heart,"  I 
added,  as  if  speaking  to  myself,  "  is  worthy  indeed 
to  be  a  king." 

He  turned  and  stood  with  his  back  toward  me, 
seeming  to  look  out  of  the  window,  and  I  was 
silent.  There  was  no  sound  in  the  room  except 
the  crackle  of  the  log  that  burned  upon  the 
hearth,  having  fallen  among  the  embers;  and  I 
could  hear,  far  off,  the  murmur  of  voices,  the  at- 
tendants talking  in  the  ante-room.  What  would 
come  next?  I  could  not  conjecture,  but  hoped 
much  from  his  strange  mood.  I  have  never  forgot- 
ten that  moment  or  the  scene ;  the  great  chamber 
hung  with  costly  silks,  the  narrow  Russian  bed, 
the  imaged  figure  of  Saint  Peter  suspended  above 
it,  and  the  gray  light  of  a  gloomy  Russian  day 
shining  through  the  windows.  A  solitary  raven, 
beaten  by  the  storm,  alighted  on  the  window-sill 
and  perched  there,  looking  in  and  croaking  om- 
inously, like  some  black-gowned  and  cowled 
preacher.  And  the  czar  —  that  man  whose  person- 
ality was  so  great  and  so  peculiar  —  treated  me  with 
the  simple  familiarity  that  was  one  of  his  char- 
acteristics. It  was  a  full  quarter  of  an  hour  before 
he  turned  and  faced  me ;  he  was  strangely  pale, 
and  his  dark  eyes  —  except  in  his  nervous  par- 
oxysms always  beautiful  —  were  brilliant  with 


368  AN  IMPERIAL   LOVER. 

emotion.     He  waved  his  hand  with  a  gesture  of 
dismissal. 

"  Go,  M.  1  'Ambassadeur,"  he  said ;  "  it  is  over. 
Najine  shall  go  in  peace.  Love  and  hate  cannot 
touch  my  heart,"  he  added  with  supreme  bitter- 
ness. "I  am  not  a  man — I  am  the  czar!" 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

A  FUTURE  EMPRESS. 

THE  few  weeks  that  followed  were  eventful.  I 
received  the  long-expected  summons  from  France 
to  return,  for  as  yet  the  hour  for  a  Russian  alli- 
ance was  not  ripe,  and  Peter  was  not  held  in  high 
esteem  until  after  the  victory  of  Poltava,  which 
was  yet  to  come.  At  this  time  Charles  XII.  was 
in  Poland  intriguing  with  the  Primate  Radzie- 
jowski,  and  intimidating  the  Diet  at  Warsaw.  Au- 
gustus of  Saxony  had  been  deposed,  and  Charles 
was  engaged  in  selecting  a  sovereign  for  Poland  who 
would  be  his  creature.  It  was  already  apparent 
that  his  choice  would  be  Stanislas  Leczynski; 
and  in  the  following  July,  in  the  field  of  Wola  near 
Warsaw,  a  few  electors,  surrounded  by  Swedish 
troops,  proclaimed  Stanislas  King  of  Poland.  It 
was  one  of  the  comedies  of  the  King  of  Sweden, 
and  the  two  dupes,  Augustus  and  Stanislas,  con- 
tinued their  r61es,  quarrelling  for  the  Polish  crown 
and  being,  in  fact,  mere  puppets,  while  Russia  and 
Sweden  wrestled  for  supremacy.  Meanwhile  the 
Neva,  precious  to  the  heart  of  the  czar,  had  been 
threatened  by  land  and  sea,  and  there  was  the 
24 


3/0  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

promise  of  sufficient  occupation  to  keep  the 
northern  princes  out  of  the  War  of  the  Spanish 
Succession. 

I  was  anxious  to  depart,  for  my  own  position 
at  court  was  embarrassing.  Prince  Dolgoruky 
and  the  faction  opposed  to  Mentchikof  were  in- 
tensely angry  at  my  successful  manoeuvre,  and 
M.  Zotof  and  madame  his  wife  were  feeding  the 
flames.  They  had  returned  from  their  fruitless 
pursuit,  frantic  with  rage  and  disappointment,  and 
both  desired  to  wreak  some  vengeance  upon  my 
devoted  head.  Indeed,  madame  lost  no  oppor- 
tunity of  assailing  me  with  her  sharp  tongue,  — 
an  annoyance  which,  while  failing  of  great  harm, 
was  yet  offensive ;  however,  I  could  endure  it  with 
serenity  since  I  had  received  the  tidings  of  M.  de 
Lambert's  safe  arrival  in  France  with  his  bride. 
I  did  not  lose  the  opportunity  to  inform  madame 
of  her  niece's  safety,  and  she  replied  that  Najine 
would  doubtless  soon  be  as  glad  to  run  away  from 
France  and  her  French  husband  as  she  had  been 
eager  to  leave  her  guardians.  To  which  sally  I 
replied  that  it  was  a  fair  land,  full  of  brave  men 
and  gentle  women ;  and  madame,  finding  that  the 
shaft  was  intended  for  her,  darted  a  glance  of 
withering  scorn  at  me,  and  swept  on.  In  my 
heart,  I  was  sorry  for  the  "  prince  pope,"  for  his 
wife  cast  all  the  blame  upon  him,  making  him  the 
scapegoat  of  the  faction.  Her  protege  Apraxin 
was  in  exile,  —  a  miserable  tale-bearer  and  spy, 


A   FUTURE  EMPRESS.  3/1 

not  worth  the  angry  contempt  that  Peter  felt  for 
him. 

The  Swedish  spy  was  not  a  little  troublesome  to 
me ;  the  day  after  my  interview  with  the  czar,  it 
was  bruited  about  that  there  was  a  Swede  in  Mos- 
cow on  some  secret  errand.  Doubtless  the  knave 
who  had  quarrelled  with  him  spread  the  report, 
and  I  found  it  difficult  enough  to  keep  suspicion 
from  my  quarters,  and  more  so  to  despatch  the 
man  in  safety,  for  he  had  found  it  impossible  to 
get  away  at  once.  I  owed  him  much,  and  both 
Zenai'de  and  I  felt  a  keen  interest  in  him,  so  that 
we  managed  to  send  him  away  at  last  under  cover 
of  darkness  and  with  a  full  purse,  which  had  been 
increased  by  a  contribution  from  M.  de  Lambert. 
I  had  no  desire  to  meddle  with  a  Swedish  spy,  but 
the  man  Lenk  had  my  pity,  and  I  gave  him  help 
with  a  free  hand,  although  if  he  had  been  taken 
with  my  money  upon  him  it  would  have  been  a 
serious  matter.  The  world  is  a  hard  school,  and 
the  young  man  in  a  shabby  doublet  has  the  harder 
battle  because  of  its  shabbiness.  When  we  march 
up  the  road  to  the  Eternal  City,  will  the  gay  coat 
of  the  cavalier  precede  the  ragged  shirt  of  the 
beggar?  Sometimes,  methinks,  I  see  the  Angel 
with  the  flaming  sword,  who  keeps  the  Gate  of 
Paradise,  look  strangely  on  the  bedizened  gallant 
of  the  court,  as  upon  one  whose  face  he  knows  not. 
I  am  an  old  man  now,  and  I  have  stood  on  many 
a  stricken  field,  —  with  Turenne,  with  the  Prince 


3/2  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

de  Conde\  with  Luxembourg,  Villars,  Villeroi,  Cati- 
nat,  and  many  more.  I  have  seen  thousands  die, 
and,  truly,  the  poor  camp  follower  makes  as  brave 
an  end  as  the  gallant  gentleman.  Nothing  do  we 
bring  into  the  world,  neither  take  we  anything 
from  it;  and  the  naked  soul  before  its  Maker  can 
give  small  account  of  the  estates  of  earth.  An 
emperor  and  a  slave  are  equal  at  the  bar  of 
Heaven ;  yet  men  still  contend  for  the  kingdoms 
of  this  world,  and  the  greatness  thereof!  And 
what  is  the  end  but  the  grave  and  corruption? 

In  a  few  weeks  it  was  manifest  that  there  was  a 
change  at  the  Russian  Court.  Mentchikof  loomed 
up  once  more  triumphant ;  the  Austrian  emperor 
had  lately  made  him  a  Count  of  Hungary,  and 
two  years  later  he  created  him  a  prince  of  the 
Holy  Roman  Empire,  and  from  that  time  honors 
and  emoluments  were  showered  upon  him.  Al- 
most immediately  after  Najine's  marriage,  Cath- 
erine Shavronsky  was  made  conspicuous  by  the 
czar's  notice,  and  there  were  rumors  that  she 
would  be  even  more  powerful  at  court  than  Anna 
Mons ;  as  yet  no  man  dreamed  that  this  Livonian 
peasant  who  was  to  become  Peter's  mistress  would 
wear  the  crown  of  Russia,  that  she  would  be  un- 
tiring in  her  efforts,  and  never  swerve  until  she 
reached  the  goal  of  her  ambition.  I  have  often 
thought  that  those  years  must  have  had  their 
bitter  humiliation  for  her;  that  she  must  have 
hated  that  forlorn  figure,  the  "  nun  Helen,"  as 


A   FUTURE  EMPRESS.  373 

the  Czarina  Eudoxia  was  named,  who  stood  like  a 
shadow  between  her  and  the  crown,  even  when  the 
czar  acknowledged  her  children,  —  as  bitter  to 
Catherine  in  her  triumph  as  humiliation  and  exile 
must  have  been  bitter  to  the  unfortunate  Eudoxia 
behind  her  convent  walls. 

It  was  the    day  before    we  finally  left  Moscow 
that   Catherine    Shavronsky   sent   for    me,   and    I 
responded  to  her  summons.     Madame  de  Brous- 
son    and  I   had  taken   formal  leave   of  the    czar, 
and  our  preparations  were  complete,  so  that  noth- 
ing remained   but  to   leave   Moscow  on  the  mor- 
row, and   in  the  evening  I  went  to  Mentchikofs 
palace  to  hear  what  Mademoiselle  Catherine  had 
to  say.     There  was  to  be  a  fete   that  night,  but 
when  I  went,  no  one  had  yet  arrived,  and  I  was 
ushered  into  the  empty  salon,  and,  while  I  waited, 
observed  idly  the  splendid  decorations  of  the  apart- 
ment, its  magnificent  hangings  and  long  mirrors, 
which  reflected  every  object  in  the  room.    It  was  the 
house  of  a  prince,  indeed,  and  I  did  not  marvel  that 
Mentchikofs  debts  often  overwhelmed  him,  arous- 
ing even  the  czar's  displeasure.     Yet  in  the  years 
to  come,  when  he  was  Duke  of  Ingermannland  and 
Prince  of  Izhora,  with  an  immense  income  and  al- 
most royal  revenues  from  the  many  high  offices  that 
he  held,  the  favorite  still  ran  into  debt.     He  had 
few   of    Peter's    simple    tastes,    although    he    had 
shared   the   czar's   hardy  education;    like  all   the 
favorites  of  royalty,  he  was  the  victim  of  over- 


374  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

indulgence;  yet  he  was  to  owe  his  continuance 
in  favor,  more  than  once,  to  the  intercession  of 
his  own  protegee  Catherine  Shavronsky,  long  after 
she  had  outstripped  him  on  the  path  to  power; 
but  she  was  generous  enough  never  to  forget  the 
debt  that  she  owed  him.  "  The  journeyman 
pastry-cook,"  as  Mentchikof  was  sometimes  called 
in  malice,  and  "  the  servant-maid  "  were  to  be  the 
powers  behind  the  throne. 

I  had  waited  but  a  few  moments,  when  the 
door  opened  at  the  farther  end  of  the  salon,  and 
Catherine  came  in  alone.  As  she  walked  up  the 
long  apartment  toward  me,  I  thought  that  I  had 
never,  seen  her  more  queenly  in  her  bearing.  She 
wore  a  rich  robe  of  some  pale  blue  material  that 
clung  to  her  figure  and  swept  about  her  feet ;  her 
rich  complexion  contrasted  well  with  her  fine  dark 
eyes,  and  her  smile  was  captivating ;  in  her  light 
hair  shone  a  single  jewel,  an  opal  that  was  radi- 
ant in  its  varying  hues,  and  on  her  breast  was  a 
miniature  of  the  czar  surrounded  with  diamonds, — 
his  gift,  and  a  conspicuous  token  of  his  favor.  Her 
disposition  was  naturally  amiable,  and  she  had  all 
the  charm  of  youth,  and  it  was  said  that  her  soft 
voice  had  a  peculiar  attraction  for  Peter.  I  made 
my  salutation,  and  she  responded  with  graciousness. 

"  You  are  welcome,  M.  le  Marechal,"  she  said, 
smiling.  "  I  sent  for  you  that  I  might  be  assured 
of  the  safe  arrival  in  France  of  Madame  de 
Lambert." 


A   FUTURE  EMPRESS.  375 

"  She  is  quite  safe,  mademoiselle,"  I  responded, 
"  and  also  her  husband." 

Catherine  laughed.  "  Her  husband,"  she  re- 
peated slowly ;  "it  seems  strange  that  we  accom- 
plished that  marriage  in  the  face  of  such  difficulties. 
It  has  been  in  my  mind  often,  and  you,  M.  1'Am- 
bassadeur,  you  saw  the  czar." 

She  looked  at  me  questioningly,  and  in  an 
instant  I  divined  her  object.  She  desired  to 
fathom  the  matter,  and  to  know  just  how  much  the 
czar  had  cared  for  her  rival ;  here,  at  least,  I  could 
be  a  match  for  her. 

"  I  had  the  honor  to  bid  his  Majesty  farewell 
but  yesterday,  mademoiselle,"  I  replied  gravely, 
"  I  leave  Moscow  on  the  morrow." 

"  Ah !  but  I  intended  to  say  that  you  saw  the 
czar  immediately  after  Najine's  flight  and  while  his 
Majesty  was  still  angry,"  she  said  simply,  search- 
ing my  face  with  her  dark  eyes.  "  Is  it  true  that 
he  threatened  to  seize  them,  declare  the  marriage 
illegal,  and  throw  M.  de  Lambert  into  prison?" 

I  raised  my  brows  in  feigned  surprise.  "  Made- 
moiselle astonishes  me,"  I  remarked ;  "  I  do  not 
hear  all  these  rumors." 

She  cast  an  indignant  glance  at  me,  but  smiled 
at  the  same  moment. 

"  M.  1'Ambassadeur,  you  never  forget  to  be  a 
diplomat,"  she  said  archly;  "do  you  ever  speak 
with  candor?  " 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders.     "  Frequently,  made- 


376  AN  IMPERIAL  LOVER. 

moiselle,"  I  returned,  smiling  also ;  "  but  an  old 
fellow  like  me  cannot  wear  his  heart  upon  his 
sleeve." 

"  Alas  !  "  she  cried  with  feigned  surprise,  "  have 
you  a  heart?  It  seems  to  me  that  courtiers  have 
none." 

"Nay,  mademoiselle,"  I  said  gravely;  "but 
soldiers  have,  and  I  am  a  soldier." 

"  So  is  the  czar,"  she  rejoined  at  once.  "  Truly, 
monsieur,  do  you  think  he  loved  mademoiselle  so 
deeply?" 

She  had  assumed  a  coaxing  manner,  laying  her 
white  hand  upon  my  arm ;  but  I  am  accustomed  to 
woman's  wiles,  and  hardened  my  heart. 

"  How  should  I  know,  mademoiselle?  "  I  asked 
her  tormentingly,  "  being  but  a  weather-beaten 
veteran?  Ask  some  fair  dame  of  the  court. 
Never  saw  I  yet  a  king  who  could  not  love." 

She  stamped  her  foot  impatiently  upon  the 
floor.  "Ah,  M.  le  Vicomte,"  she  cried,  "you 
mock  me.  You  saw  the  czar  alone  —  and  in  a 
moment  of  passionate  vexation :  he  showed  his 
feelings  to  you,  doubtless,  and  why  not  admit  it?  " 

"  Mademoiselle,"  I  replied  gravely,  "  when  you 
have  lived  as  long  as  I,  you  will  know  that  it  is  a 
perilous  thing  to  know  a  king's  heart  and  far  more 
perilous  to  betray  it.  Moreover,  you  forget  that 
to  a  soldier  his  honor  is  as  dear  as  his  life." 

She  looked  at  me  a  moment  in  silence,  and  then 
a  smile  broke  over  her  handsome,  passionate  face. 


A   FUTURE  EMPRESS. 


377 


"  Yet  you  have  told  me,  M.  1'Ambassadeur,"  she 
said  with  a  woman's  triumph.  "  I  know  that  he 
loved  her  —  but  she  is  gone  !  " 

She  paused,  and  stood  there  a  picture  of  trium- 
phant beauty;  a  woman  with  the  tigress  in  her 
nature,  passionate,  bold,  ambitious;  a  peasant,  a 
slave,  an  empress  to  be.  I  have  never  forgotten 
her,  her  haughty  head  erect,  her  eyes  sparkling 
with  emotion,  her  full  red  lips  parted  and  showing 
her  teeth ;  young  and  handsome,  and  marked  out 
by  a  strange  destiny  to  be  the  favorite,  the  mistress, 
the  secretly  wedded  wife  of  Peter  the  Great,  and, 
at  last,  Empress  of  all  the  Russias. 

She  took  a  step  toward  a  door  near  her,  and  I 
saw  that,  failing  to  draw  all  the  secret  from  me,  she 
intended  to  cut  short  the  interview. 

"  Najine  is  no  longer  here,"  she  said  in  a  tone  of 
exultation,  "  and  I  owe  much  to  you.  The  day  of 
my  evil  fortune  is  past,  and  I  will  remember  always 
those  who  were  kind  to  me.  No  man  shall  call 
Catherine  ungrateful.  M.  1'Ambassadeur,  I  kiss 
your  hands !  " 

With  these  words  we  parted.  From  that  day  she 
continued  to  ascend  the  path  of  ambition  that  was 
to  lead  her  up  the  blood-stained  steps  of  a  throne. 
The  Livonian  peasant  girl  died  an  empress. 


THE  END. 


ON  THE  RED  STAIRCASE 

BY  M.  IMLAY   TAYLOR. 

With  Frontispiece,    izmo,  332  pages.    Price,  $1.25. 


The  scene  of  this  thrilling  story  is  Moscow,  and  the 
time,  the  boyhood  of  Peter  the  Great.  Much  of  the  action 
takes  place  "  On  The  Red  Staircase  "  in  the  palace  of  the 
Kremlin. 

It  is  a  thrilling  tale  of  intrigue  and  barbaric  plot.  A  French  viscount 
visiting  Moscow  on  a  diplomatic  service  is  the  hero ;  and  his  adventures 
while  trying  to  rescue  the  beautiful  Zenaide  from  a  cruel  uncle,  who  is 
bent  upon  marrying  her  to  a  profligate,  are  constant  and  of  an  intense 
order  of  interest.  .  .  .  The  scenes  are  exciting.  Escapes  follow  escapes. 
Secret  missions  with  packets  (stolen  by  hidden  pursuers)  are  incidents  of 
the  plot ;  while  sword-cuts,  pinionings,  attacks  of  all  kinds,  kidnapping, 
and  desperate  acts  fill  the  pages.  .  .  .  The  book  is  exciting,  well  sustained 
and  excellently  written. .  .  .  Another  "Zenda"  story.  —  Chicago  Times- 
Herald. 

A  most  vivid  and  absorbing  tale  of  love  and  adventure.  .  .  .  Miss 
Taylor  has  certainly  an  unusual  gift  of  vivid  word  painting ;  and  as  we 
read,  we  can  almost  see  the  savage  mob,  and  feel  ourselves  to  be  in  dan- 
ger. "  On  the  Red  Staircase  "  will  give  a  far  truer,  because  more  strik- 
ing and  life-like,  picture  of  early  Russian  history  than  a  multitude  of 
laboriously  written  and  ponderous  histories  of  the  time,  and  the  authoress 
has  apparently  a  most  promising  future  before  her.  —  The  Churchman, 
New  York. 

After  the  many  problem-novels  and  the  myriad  psychological  dis- 
quisitions disguised  as  fiction,  a  wholesome,  breezy  tale  like  this,  honestly 
and  brilliantly  told  for  its  own  sake,  is  a  real  treat  to  be  enjoyed  without 
thought  or  criticism.  —  The  Bookman,  New  York. 

A  strong,  bracing  story  it  is,  and  one  which  gives  us  a  clear  view  of 
an  exceptionally  interesting  epoch  in  Russian  history.  —  New  York 
Herald. 


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OTHER  THINGS  BEING  EQUAL. 

BY   EMMA   WOLF. 
I2tno,  275  pages.     Price,  $1.00. 


It  is  a  romance  pure  and  simple,  and  has  the  rare  merit  of  artistic 
unity.  It  commands  attention  by  its  gentle  might,  the  legitimate  method 
of  romance.  ...  It  is  a  relief  to  find  an  unspoiled  story  of  pure 
sentiment,  without  sensationalism,  mawkish  sentimentality,  affected 
eccentricity,  or  the  least  sign  of  pandering  to  the  too  popular  compromise 
with  immorality.  — Boston  Post. 

The  picture  given  of  Jewish  life  and  feeling  is  very  attractive  ;  but 
the  charm  of  the  book  lies  in  the  clever  delineation  of  widely  differing 
personalities  and  in  its  power  of  giving  to  brain-created  people  an  almost 
living  individuality.  .  .  .  The  story  is  strong  and  well  written,  and 
holds  the  reader's  sympathetic  interest  from  the  first  page  to  the  last.  — 
Literary  World,  Boston. 

The  struggle  between  orthodox  ideas  of  marriage  within  the  racial 
lines,  and  the  charming  love  story  which  is  so  complicated,  is  as  power- 
ful an  incident  as  anything  in  modern  novel-writing.  This  is  a  story 
well  worth  Gentile  reading,  and  every  Hebrew  will  find  not  only  much 
that  is  true,  but  matter  of  pride  in  it.  —  Public  Ledger,  Philadelphia. 

This  is  a  well-told  story  of  how  the  course  of  true  love  did  not  run 
smooth,  though  finding  its  way  at  last  out  upon  the  wide  and  sunny 
sea  of  matrimony.  .  .  .  The  descriptions  of  places  and  people  are  well 
drawn,  the  interest  well  kept  up,  and  the  lesson  of  Christian  charity 
quite  forcibly  inculcated.  —  Public  Opinion,  New  York. 

The  lesson  derived  from  this  story  is,  that  other  things  being  equal,  — 
that  is,  every  other  consideration  being  favorable,  —  a  Jewish  girl  may 
marry  a  Christian,  the  difference  in  their  religious  faith  not  being  an 
insuperable  barrier  to  their  union.  .  .  .  The  book  presents  a  beautiful 
picture  of  the  peace,  the  pure  morality,  and  the  domestic  tranquillity 
and  'joy  which  the  author  affirms  almost  universally  pervade  Jewish 
homes.  —  Home  Journal,  New  York. 


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BEATRICE  OF  BAYOU  T^CHE. 

BY  ALICE  ILGENFRITZ  JONES, 
tamo,  ^86  pages.     Price,  $1.00. 


A  capital  story,  full  of  vigor  and  subtle  knowledge  of  human  nature ; 
and  it  is  as  vivid  and  picturesque  as  the  Bayou.  —  Octave  Thanet. 

The  author  writes  with  an  attractive,  graceful  style,  and  with  a  keen- 
ness of  observation  which  holds  the  reader's  attention.  This  love  story 
is  vigorously  told ;  the  heroine  is  a  girl  with  a  strong  sense  of  her  moral 
responsibility,  and  the  ethical  tone  of  the  story  is  very  high.  — Boston 
Journal. 

Mrs.  Jones's  writing  is  marked  by  gracefulness  and  by  considerable 
strength.  Her  descriptions,  both  of  persons  and  of  scenery,  are  uni- 
formly good  and  often  fine.  .  .  .  Take  it  all  in  all,  it  is  one  of  the  best  of 
stories.  —  State  Register,  Davenport. 

The  story  is  very  well  written,  and  is  entertaining,  though  inevitably 
sad.  There  is  nothing  exaggerated  in  it;  and  the  kindly  spirit  which 
often  existed  in  the  South  between  master  or  mistress  and  the  slave  is 
very  well  represented  by  the  family  to  which  Beatrice  and  her  old  grand- 
mother belonged. —  The  Beacon,  Boston. 

A  wonderfully  touching  and  pathetic  story  is  that  of  Beatrice.  It 
appeals  to  one's  sympathies,  while  it  arouses  admiration  for  the  purity 
and  sweetness  of  its  tone.  It  is  full  of  interest,  too,  and  while  its  pre- 
vailing tone  is  pathetic,  it  is  not  at  all  lugubrious.  It  is  in  every  way  a 
bright  and  delightful  work  of  fiction.  —  Journal,  Milwaukee. 

The  writer  has  plunged  into  some  of  the  omnipresent  racial  problems 
in  Louisiana  society,  and  portrays  graphically  the  miseries  of  a  clever 
and  charming  girl  whose  blood  has  the  African  taint.  —  Review  of 
Reviews. 

It  is  more  than  ordinarily  well  written,  full  of  fanciful  turns  of  phrase 
and  short,  charming  pen  pastels,  and  would  be  agreeable  reading  even 
were  the  story  a  less  pulse-quickening  one.  The  author's  style  is  char- 
acterized by  a  quaint  and  delicate  humor.  —  Commercial  Advertiser, 
New  York. 


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THE  PRICE  OF  PEACE. 

A  Story  of  the  Times  of  Ahab,  King  of  Israel. 
BY   A.   W.   ACKBrRMAN. 

izmo,  390  pages.    Price,  $1.00. 


It  throws  valuable  light  upon  an  eventful  period  of  the  history  of  this 
wonderful  people,  and  presents  a  carefully  drawn  and  lifelike  picture  of 
a  biblical  character  too  little  known,  —  the  courageous  prophet  Micaiah. 
As  a  love  story  it  is  a  gem,  and  its  historical  value  is  marked.  —  Boston 
A  dvertiser. 

The  author  has  written  a  religious  narrative  of  more  than  ordinary 
interest.  The  period  is  the  most  picturesque  in  the  history  of  the  ancient 
Jewish  people.  —  Sun,  Baltimore. 

It  is  a  vivid  and  thrilling  picture  of  that  wild  and  distant  time,  and 
deepens  the  interest  of  the  reader  in  the  Bible  narrative,  while  in  no 
way  warring  against  his  reverence  toward  it.  — Literary  World,  Boston. 

The  stirring  events  in  the  time  of  Ahab  have  been  well  wrought 
together  in  this  book.  Micaiah  is  the  hero;  Obadiah  is  skilfully  pre- 
sented, and  Elijah  appears  at  intervals.  We  regard  this  as  an  excellent 
work,  alike  as  a  story,  a  study  in  character,  and  a  picture  of  the  time.  — 
Sunday  Journal.,  New  York. 

The  descriptions  of  the  region  are  good,  the  different  scenes  well 
depicted  and  lifelike,  and  the  lessons  inculcated  are  helpful  and  natural. 

—  Public  Opinion,  Washington. 

In  the  "  Price  of  Peace  "  we  have  a  new  presentation  of  the  character 
of  Micaiah,  who  is  the  hero  of  Mr.  Ackerman's  romance.  The  Bible 
gives  us  only  a  meagre  glimpse  of  the  man  ;  here  we  learn  to  know  him 
as  a  man  of  passions  like  unto  our  own,  but  wiser  and  greater  than  his 
fellows.  The  author  introduces  us  to  a  period  of  rare  interest,  and  we 
learn  much  of  Elijah,  Jehoshaphat,  and  King  Ahab.  More  than  all, 
our  interest  is  awakened  in  the  lovely  Ruth,  and  we  close  the  book 
regretfully  in  the  thought  of  leaving  her  and  the  hills  of  Zebulon. — 

—  Evening  Bulletin,  Philadelphia. 


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THE  CRUCIFIXION  OF  PHILIP  STRONG. 

BY  CHARLES  M.  SHELDON, 
isrno,  <6;  pages.    Price,  $1.00. 


The  hero  is  an  honest,  forceful  minister,  who  believes  that  he  should 
not  allow  his  church  to  be  simply  a  social  club.  His  efforts  to  stem  the 
tide  of  luxury  and  of  selfishness  are  told  in  a  way  that  will  hold  the 
reader  interested  to  the  end.  —  Chronicle  Telegraph,  Pittsburg. 

It  is  more  than  a  well-written  and  well-conceived  story;  it  is  a  gospel, 
or,  rather,  the  gospel  of  Christ  presented  in  living  form,  coming  in  con- 
tact with  human  life,  in  all  its  phases  and  with  the  great  problems  that 
to-day  agitate  the  mind  of  society.  ...  If  this  powerful  presentation  of 
truth  in  story  form  does  not  produce  a  profound  impression  on  the  read- 
ing public,  we  shall  be  greatly  disappointed.  —  Lutheran  Evangelist, 
Dayton,  Ohio. 

The  story  is  one  of  intense  vigor  and  pathos.  It  will  secure  a  very 
wide  reading,  and  it  should  make  a  deep  impression  upon  every  reader 
and  produce  lasting  fruit.  —  The  Congregationalist,  Boston. 

An  original  and  realistic  story,  both  interesting  and  suggestive  of  earn- 
est thought.  —  The  Beacon,  Boston. 

The  story  is  often  pathetic,  sometimes  dramatic,  and  always  convincing. 
It  is  wholesome  reading  to  all,  and  instructive  to  those  who  are  led  to 
wrongly  believe  that  the  church  and  its  pastors  do  not  make  sacrifices 
for,  and  are  not  in  sympathy  with,  the  poor  of  the  world.  —  Chicago 
Record. 

The  book  abounds  in  powerful  and  convincing  arguments  for  right- 
eousness and  truth,  and  the  young  preacher  with  the  lofty  ideals,  though 
a  pathetic  figure  in  his  loneliness,  commands  respect  for  his  self-forget- 
fulness  in  a  noble  cause.  — Literary  World,  Boston. 

A  fine  piece  of  realistic  writing.  The  duty  of  the  Christian  and  the 
Christian  minister  is  clearly  unfolded.  —  Herald,  Chicago. 


Sold  by  all  booksellers,  or  mailed,  on  receipt  of  price,  by 

A.  C.  McCLURG  &  Co.,  PUBLISHERS, 

COR.  WABASH  AVE.  AND  MADISON  ST.,  CHICAGO. 


TALES  FROM  THE  AEGEAN. 

BY  DEMETRIOS  BIKfiLAS. 

Translated  by  Leonard  Eckstein  Opd^jke.     With  an  Introduc- 
tion by  Henry  Alonzo  Huntington. 

i6mo,  358  pages.    Price,  $1.00. 


The  tales  in  this  volume  have  a  special  value  in  that  they  reflect  the 
Greek  life,  thought,  and  feeling  of  to-day.  They  have,  moreover,  a 
universal  interest  for  their  merit  as  works  of  literary  art.  They  are 
simple,  pure,  and  elevating.  Though  tinged  now  and  then  with  melan- 
choly, their  melancholy  is  of  the  kind  that,  instead  of  depressing,  buoys 
up  and  elevates  the  reader.  —  Commercial  Gazette,  Cincinnati. 

This  dainty  little  book  is  composed  of  several  tales  based  upon  the 
life  and  customs  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  ^Egean.  It  opens  up  a  new  and 
attractive  field  of  interest,  made  all  the  more  fascinating  by  the  strength 
and  vividness  of  the  sketches,  and  the  reality  and  truth  portrayed  in 
the  characters,  which  the  translator  has  carefully  preserved  throughout. 
—  Public  Opinion. 

Each  tale  is  dramatic,  and  has  as  distinct  a  plot  as  is  compatible  with 
short  limits.  There  is  no  moralizing ;  the  author  is  too  eager  to  tell  his 
story  to  stop  for  that.  The  book  should  find  a  wide  welcome  because  of 
its  novelty  and  high  literary  merit.  It  is  admirably  translated.  —  Literary 
World,  Boston. 

The  stories  are  delightfully  told ;  humor  and  pathos  in  turn  call  forth 
our  admiration ;  and  we  owe  our  thanks  to  the  publishers  for  having 
introduced  this  new  author  to  the  English  reading  public.  —  The  Boston 
Times, 

The  stories  are  fresh  and  striking,  simple  in  style,  elemental  in  their 
sympathetic  appeal.  —  Independent,  New  York. 

The  author  portrays  Greek  life  as  it  is  with  true  poetic  realism,  and 
depicts  the  defects  as  well  as  the  racial  virtues  of  his  countrymen.  His 
stories  are  like  so  many  dainty  water-colors,  —  almost  luminous  in  feeling, 
and  possessing  the  indefinable  attribute  called  "atmosphere."'  —  Beacon, 
Boston. 

Sold  by  all  booksellers,  or  mailed,  on  receipt  of  price,  by 

A.  C.  MCCLURG  &  Co.,  PUBLISHERS, 

COR.  WABASH  AVE.  AND  MADISON  ST.,  CHICAGO. 


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